Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
129 AM EST Wed Dec 17 2025

Valid 12Z Wed Dec 17 2025 - 12Z Fri Dec 19 2025

...Dangerous wind gusts and heavy snow to produce hazardous travel and
infrastructure impacts from the Northwest to North-Central U.S....

...Heavy rain likely over portions of the Pacific Northwest beginning
Thursday...

...Above average temperatures across most of the country today followed by
a cooling trend for the Northern Plains/Upper Midwest on Thursday...


A mid-level shortwave followed by a longwave trough will produce hazardous
weather across the northern tier of the country over the next few days.
Widespread damaging wind gusts of 50-70 mph are forecast across much of
the Northwest, Northern/Central Rockies and the Northern Plains through
Thursday. Higher peaks of the Northern and Central Rockies and their
eastern slopes could experience powerful wind gusts in excess of 80 mph.
These wind gusts will result in numerous power outages, scattered tree and
roof damage, and dangerous travel conditions. Powerful winds combined with
periods of snow across the Northern Plains are likely to produce whiteout
conditions tonight into Thursday. Snow squalls traversing the Northern
High Plains could cause rapid reductions in visibility tonight. This will
cause extremely hazardous travel.

Rounds of heavy snow in the higher terrain of the Cascades and Northern
Rockies are expected today. Snow levels fall to as low as 3,000 ft.
Thursday morning as the next round of heavy snow arrives. Additional power
outages and tree damage are possible Thursday and Friday due to a
combination of heavy, wet snow causing added strain on trees and power
lines. Rain at the surface and lower elevations of the Pacific Northwest
mountain ranges will intensify over the coming days and exacerbate
flooding of rivers, creeks and streams through Friday afternoon, at least.
Flood warnings are in effect until then. Slight risks (at least 15%
chance) of excessive rainfall leading to flash flooding are in effect from
southwestern Washington down through western Oregon and into northwestern
California on Thursday, followed by southwestern Oregon into northwestern
California on Friday along a south-moving cold front.

A strong ridge centered over the east Pacific will support above average
temperatures across much of the West over the next few days. The shortwave
responsible for today's dangerous precipitation and wind over the
Northwest will amplify over the Central U.S. on Thursday, leading to a
drastic 24 hour drop in temperatures across the Northern Plains. This
amplifying trough will also generate strong southerly flow into the
Eastern U.S. by Thursday evening, when cloudy warm conditions could
produce record high minimum temperatures for parts of the Northeast and
Mid-Atlantic.


Kebede


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