Storm Path Shifts: From West to South, Possible Snow in the North

A winter weather pattern is changing. A big storm that started over Baja California is heading east across the Southwest and into the Southern Plains. Meteorologists say it will become a low‑pressure system that could travel toward the Southeast, bringing rain and thunderstorms. There are two possible routes for this system. If it stays in the South, it will cross the Gulf Coast and then head out to sea near the Southeast. In that case, only rain would hit the South while the North would see little or no snow because the cold air there stays separate. If the low strengthens more, it could move north along the coast, reaching the Mid‑Atlantic and possibly the Northeast. That path would let it tap into cold air over the North, turning the system into a heavy snowstorm.The exact outcome is still unclear. Early next week, weather models predict a deep dip in the jet stream over the West. That will create high pressure over the East, flipping the usual pattern that has kept storms in the West. When this happens, storms will form more often on the West side and then travel across the central U. S. , growing stronger as they go east. However, if the high pressure gets too strong, storms might be pushed toward Canada instead of staying in the U. S. If it weakens or shifts south, storms could travel through the Midwest and reach the Northeast, raising chances of snow in the North. At the same time, a high pressure area over the Southeast could warm the air and make thunderstorms more intense. Weather watchers should keep an eye on how these patterns evolve, as the next few days could bring either rain to the South or a surprising snow event up north.