WINTER WEATHER FORECASTING THROUGHOUT THE EASTERN UNITED-STATES .1. AN OVERVIEW

The complex combination of synoptic- and mesoscale interactions, topog raphic influences, and large population densities poses a multitude of challenging problems to winter weather forecasters throughout the eas tern United States. Over the years, much has been learned about the st ructure, evolution, and attendant precipitation within winter storms. As a result, numerous operational procedures, forecast applications, a nd objective techniques have been developed at National Weather Servic e offices to assess the potential for hazardous winter weather. An ove rview of the challenge of forecasting winter weather in the eastern Un ited States is presented, including a historical review of several leg endary winter storms, from the Blizzard of 1888 to the Halloween Nor'e aster of 1991. The synoptic-scale features associated with East Coast winter storms are described. The mesoscale nature of many eastern wint er weather events is illustrated through an examination of the Veteran s' Day Snowstorm of 11 November 1987, and the Long Island Snowstorm of 13 December 1988. The development of applied forecast techniques and the potential for new remote sensing technologies (e.g., Doppler weath er radar and wind profilers) and mesoscale models to improve operation al forecasts of winter weather hazards are also discussed, Companion p apers focus on cyclogenesis, terrain-related winter weather forecast c onsiderations in the Southeast, and lake effect snow forecasting.