Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 232 AM EST Mon Dec 15 2014 Valid 12Z Mon Dec 15 2014 - 12Z Wed Dec 17 2014 ...Swath of accumulating snows expected with a wrapped up storm system tracking through the central U.S.... ...The much needed wet period will continue for drought-stricken California... A wrapped up surface low spinning over the south central U.S. will take a steady track through the Middle Mississippi Valley on Monday before lifting into the Great Lakes Tuesday morning. Moisture being pulled from the Gulf of Mexico will fuel moderate to heavy rains...with embedded thunderstorms...ahead of the trailing cold front pushing eastward from the Mississippi Valley to the Appalachians. On the backside of the system...temperatures will be low enough to support snow within the northwestern edge of the precipitation shield. A swath of light to moderate accumulations is expected from the Central Plains to the Upper Midwest. A narrow axis of sleet and freezing rain will be possible to the southeast of the accumulating snow...and a wintry mix will also be possible once precipitation spreads eastward into the Northern Appalachians Tuesday evening. A series of Pacific systems moving onshore will allow the much needed wet period to continue for drought-stricken California. Precipitation totals will not be record breaking like the event late last week...but surges of moisture with each approaching system should produce periods of moderate to heavy rains. Also...beneficial snowfall accumulations are expected to pile up along the Sierra Nevada range. Gerhardt Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php