Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 308 AM EST Tue Nov 26 2013 Valid 12Z Tue Nov 26 2013 - 12Z Thu Nov 28 2013 ***Heavy rainfall event for the Deep South and East Coast*** ***Winter weather event ending over the Southern Plains*** ***Quiet weather pattern for the Western U.S.*** The final days before Thanksgiving will feature a rapidly strengthening surface low over the Southeast U.S. that will work its way up the East Coast by Wednesday. This low will allow copious amounts of moisture to advect northward into the interior Southeast states and the Mid-Atlantic on Tuesday. Average rainfall amounts of one to four inches is likely for many areas along the East Coast. Embedded thunderstorms will also be possible closer to the Gulf Coast as the atmosphere will be more unstable over this region. The bad weather is expected to advance towards the Northeast U.S. by Tuesday night and into Wednesday. Given the recent very cold weather, the onset of the precipitation may be in the form of a light wintry mix inland from the coast. A rapid influx of warmer air will result in a complete changeover to rain as the surface low approaches and deepens. Widespread moderate to heavy rain is expected from Tuesday night into Wednesday, and this will likely cause major travel issues for Thanksgiving travelers. Strong southerly winds are also likely along the New England coastline before the cold front passes. Elsewhere across the continental U.S., a relatively quiet weather pattern can be expected through the middle of the week with no major systems west of the Mississippi River. There will be a few weak impulses traversing the Northern Rockies and the Great Plains, but these will have only limited moisture and any precipitation will be light. The nicest weather during the next few days is expected over the Inter-Mountain West and into California. D. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php