HAPPINESS

IS A WARM CUP

March 11, 2026 11:55 am

Strengthening high pressure aloft combined with weak offshore flow on Thursday is expected to bring widespread record heat for Thursday and Friday. Weak onshore flow will bring some cooling for the coast into the valleys for the weekend with little change in the heat for the deserts. Even stronger high pressure aloft is expected to bring widespread record heat for inland areas for next week with some locations exceeding all-time records for March. With widespread moderate or greater heat risk for the valleys, inland coastal areas, and the lower deserts for Thursday and Friday of this week and for much of next week beginning on Monday, heat-related illnesses are likely for sensitive populations.

Widespread showers and thunderstorms spread eastward into the Ohio Valley/Mid-Atlantic southwest to the Gulf Coast Wednesday with a severe weather/flash flood threat. A couple rounds of wintry precipitation expected from the Upper Great Lakes to northern New England mid- to late week. Continued active pattern for the Pacific Northwest into the northern Rockies will bring heavy lower elevation/coastal rain and high elevation snow this week. One more day of well above average, record-tying/breaking heat for the eastern U.S. Wednesday before a cold front brings cooler, seasonable temperatures Thursday.