Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
214 PM EST Tue Dec 09 2025

Valid 00Z Wed Dec 10 2025 - 00Z Fri Dec 12 2025

...Atmospheric River will bring several days of heavy rain into the
Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies with snow for higher mountain
elevations...

...A strong clipper system will bring the threat of heavy snow and high
winds across the Upper Midwest/Great Lakes as well as portions of the
interior Northeast and Appalachians...

A strong clipper system dropping through the northern Plains/Upper Midwest
and Great Lakes will bring a swath of heavy snow as well as very gusty
wins to the region this afternoon and through the overnight hours. Winter
weather-related advisories and warnings have been posted for accumulations
as much as 4-6", particularly from northeastern North Dakota southeastward
through northern/central Minnesota and into northern/central Wisconsin. In
addition, widespread High Wind Warnings are in effect for a much broader
area across the northern Plains into the Upper Midwest as gusts as high as
60 mph can be expected. These winds will also bring the threat of
white-out/blizzard conditions to areas of the Upper Midwest, both where
snow will fall with this system as well as where snow remains on the
ground from recent days. The clipper will continue east on Wednesday with
wintry precipitation spreading into the interior Northeast/New England as
well as south through the Appalachians. Accumulations, locally heavy and
as much as 6-12", will focus along favorable lake-effect regions downwind
of the Great Lakes and the higher elevations the Appalachians as well as
the mountain ranges of interior New England. Another upper-level
shortwave/surface frontal system will follow quickly on the heels of this
system as the pattern remains active, with a swath of moderate snowfall
expected across portions of the Midwest into the Upper Ohio Valley
Thursday. 

To the west, a prolonged Atmospheric River event will bring several days
of heavy rain to the Pacific Northwest and  lower elevations of the
northern Rockies as well as heavy high elevation mountain snow. Slight
Risks of Excessive Rainfall (level 2/4) are in effect for the Pacific
Northwest today and tomorrow, and for a portion of the northern Rockies
along the Idaho/Montana border tomorrow and Thursday. The prolonged
rainfall, with totals of several inches possible, will bring the threat of
some scattered flooding, with the warm, tropical origin of the moisture
leading to very high snow levels and thus the inclusion of lower
elevations within the northern Rockies. Snowmelt may also contribute to
flooding especially along area rivers. Snow levels will generally range
between 7000-8000 feet, with locally heavy accumulations possible for both
the northern Cascades and areal ranges of the northern Rockies. A swath of
moderate to heavy snow is also expected later Wednesday and through the
day Thursday through portions of the northern High Plains where a much
colder airmass remains in place.  

A familiar pattern featuring mean upper-troughing over the central to
eastern U.S. and mean upper-ridging over the central to western U.S. will
continue to keep temperatures at or below average to the east and above to
well above average to the west. Conditions will fluctuate a bit daily
depending on the timing of frontal passages, but forecast highs the next
couple of days will generally be in the teens and 20s for the northern
Plains/Great Lakes, the 20s and 30s for the Midwest east through the Ohio
Valley and into New England, the 40s and 50s for the Mid-Atlantic and into
the Southeast, and 60s and some 70s along the Gulf Coast and into Florida.
The above to well above average conditions begin across the
central/southern Plains with highs in the 50s/60s further north and 60s
and 70s to the south. In the West, highs will be in the 50s for the
Pacific Northwest and the interior West, 60s and 70s for central to
southern California, and 70s and 80s for the Desert Southwest.

Putnam


Graphics available at
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php