Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 454 AM EDT Sat Sep 28 2013 Valid 12Z Sat Sep 28 2013 - 12Z Mon Sep 30 2013 ...A wet and windy weekend is in store for the Pacific Northwest... ...Showers and thunderstorms will continue to light up along a cold front sweeping through the Central U.S.... A wet pattern will remain set up over the northwestern corner of the Country this weekend due to a deep vortex spinning off the British Columbia coast. Vigorous energy rotating around the vortex will push a series of cold fronts and surges of moisture into the Pacific Northwest. The anomalous moisture will fuel widespread moderate to heavy rains across the region...with the heftiest totals expected along the favored slopes of the terrain. Enough moisture should spill inland to produce heavy rains over the Northern Rockies as well. In addition to the soaking rains...winds will be on the increase as the pressure gradient tightens over the Northwest. Showers and thunderstorms will continue to light up along a cold front sweeping through the Central U.S. on Saturday. On Sunday...the boundary should begin to weaken as its upper level support lifts farther northeastward into Canada. As a result...precipitation will become increasingly sparse while the weakening front presses through the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. However...enough moisture streaming out of the Western Gulf should continue to support convection along the southern portion of the boundary moving through the Lower Mississippi Valley and Southern Plains. Strong surface ridging should keep much of the Eastern Seaboard precipitation free during the short range period. However...low level northeasterly flow off the Atlantic could bring some light shower activity inland across Florida and up into the Carolinas. Gerhardt Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php