Rare weather pattern is 'as quiet as it gets' for the Lower 48

MILWAUKEE -- Friday’s weather setup is as quiet as it gets, with dry weather expected for nearly all of the mainland U.S.! Not to mention rain-less and snow-less skies will be missing cloud cover in many places as well, adding to the rarity of this pattern.

So just how rare is it for the Lower 48 to be without any weather systems? About a once a year occurrence. Meaning it is rare, but not that rare.

How does this happen?

A strong high pressure system will reside over the Midwest, Plains, and East Coast, with a weaker high pressure over the Rockies. This setup will block incoming rain in the Northwest, and force rain out of Florida. Meanwhile, locations near the center of the high might not even see clouds!

There is also a flat (zonal) jet stream pattern that yields to calmer weather, preventing the development of strong lows that generate precipitation.

So if you're a fan of dry, sunny weather in February, you can enjoy this forecast pretty much no matter where you are! Snow lovers, you'll have to wait for this pattern to break.