Weekly Weather Watch: Monday, December 1st, 2025

A potent early-winter storm system is set to make headlines across the central and eastern U.S. this week. Expect a mix of soaking rains, thunderstorms, icy roads, and accumulating snow from the Gulf Coast to New England, followed by more storm potential late in the week. Freezing rain hits parts of British Columbia, meanwhile, snow squalls and lake effect snows for parts of Ontario and Quebec. Colder-than-normal air will grip much of North America, giving this week a distinctly winter-like feel.

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HEADLINERS:

Key Weather Impacts

Monday–Wednesday:

• Gulf Coast & Southeast: Scattered thunderstorms and heavy rain, with isolated flash flood potential.

• Ozarks to Ohio Valley: Messy wintry mix with ice glaze possible; hazardous travel conditions.

• Plains to Lower Great Lakes: Light to moderate snow accumulations.

• New England & Inland Mid-Atlantic: Season’s first major winter storm Monday night into Tuesday. Expect heavy snow (6”+ in spots) and ice, mainly north and west of I-95.

• Freezing rain for British Columbia, and snow squalls near the Great Lakes in Ontario and Quebec.

Thursday–Saturday:

• Gulf Coast to Southeast: A new round of heavy rain spreads in, possibly training over the same areas and leading to localized flooding.

• Northern Plains & Upper Midwest: Cold surge with wind chills -20 to -30°F Thursday morning.

• Northeast: Watching for another possible Nor’easter this weekend—stay tuned as confidence builds.

Temperature Outlook:

• Central/Eastern U.S.: Temperatures remain well below average with widespread chill.

• West Coast & Southwest: A flip to milder and above-average conditions later in the week.

ON THE RADAR:

KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY:

IN THE GAUGES:

GRAB A RULER:

RECORDS MADE TO BE BROKEN:

UN-DROUGHTABLY DRY:

There’s been notable drought relief across parts of the West, Lower Midwest, Northeast, and South this week, thanks to recent storms and rainfall. Southern California, Arizona, and southern Nevada have seen some of the most dramatic improvements, with several cities recording record or near-record precipitation since October 1. However, not all areas are seeing gains—the Pacific Northwest continues to run drier than normal with lagging snowpack, and drought has intensified across the Florida Panhandle, southern Alabama, and southern Georgia due to persistent warmth and dryness.

Reservoir levels are holding strong in California, with key sites above seasonal averages, but remain very low in parts of the Southwest, including Lake Mead and Elephant Butte in New Mexico, which sits at just 5% full. -U.S. Department of Agriculture

ARE YOU CIRRUS?!

1876  Official government forecasts, since beginning in 1871, had been called probabilities (rather than forecasts). On this day the term probabilities was replaced with the term indications.
1962  The Grey Cup (Canadian Football Championship) continued for 2 days in Toronto in dense fog. The fog was so thick that spectators in the upper stands could not see the other side of the field.
1912  A dispute over hauling coal lead to an attempt to blow up the Trent River Bridge in British Columbia. Twenty five sticks of dynamite were planted under the bridge and attached to a 50 meter fuse. The dynamite must have frozen solid by the time the lighted fuse reached the cap, because the dynamite never exploded.