Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 358 AM EDT Tue Sep 24 2013 Valid 12Z Tue Sep 24 2013 - 12Z Thu Sep 26 2013 ***Active weather pattern over the Rockies*** ***Stormy weather along the Gulf Coast and Florida*** ***High quality airmass continues over the Eastern U.S.*** Onshore flow over the northern Pacific Coast is expected to continue through the middle of the week, and this will aid in orographically driven rainfall for the Pacific Northwest. Some of this moisture should make it to the Northern Rockies, where scattered showers are likely. With decreasing temperatures behind a cold front, expect some high elevation snowfall, mostly above treeline. Showers are also expected for the Northern Plains as a frontal boundary moves through the region. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue to focus along a frontal boundary lingering across northern Florida and back into the Western Gulf of Mexico. Multiple surface waves along the stalled boundary should lead to some organized areas of storms. Given the amount of moisture in place across the region, moderate to occasionally heavy rain will be possible. On Tuesday into Wednesday, the system departing the Central U.S. should help lift some of the moisture and associated rainfall along the Gulf Coast states northward into the Tennessee Valley and Southern Appalachians. Farther to the north from North Carolina to New England, an autumnal and high quality airmass is forecast to remain in place over the next couple of days. This surface ridge of high pressure will bring continued fall-like weather with highs in the 60s and 70s, and lows in the 40s and 50s, along with lower humidity. There may be more clouds in northern New England from a surface low over Eastern Canada, but otherwise mostly sunny skies should prevail. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php