Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 300 AM EST Thu Jan 07 2021 Valid 12Z Thu Jan 07 2021 - 12Z Sat Jan 09 2021 ...Periods of heavy precipitation continue to impact northern California, the Pacific Northwest, and into the northern/central Rockies... ...Light wintry precipitation expected to slide across the Tennessee Valley and into parts of the Mid-Atlantic... ...Rain and some thunderstorms expected across the Deep South and the Southeast... The Pacific Northwest will experience a break in the precipitation for much of today as the associated frontal system dissipates. Meanwhile, a batch of light snow will move across the northern Rockies into the northern High Plains today due to a lingering wave of low pressure along a weak front. This system will become diffused on Friday as moderate to heavy precipitation pushes onshore once again across the Pacific Northwest ahead of an active cold front. A couple of inches of rain can be expected along the Coastal Ranges of northern California. Meanwhile, 6 to 12 inches of snowfall is forecast for the higher elevations of the Olympic and Cascade Ranges. This round of precipitation is forecast to taper off Friday night as the associated moisture spreads rapidly inland, bringing another period of light snow through the northern Rockies Friday night and into the central Rockies by early on Saturday. In the mean time, a low pressure system will be traversing the Deep South, the Southeast and the Mid-Atlantic through early on Saturday. This system will spread showers and thunderstorms steadily from west to east through these areas, with embedded severe thunderstorms possible near the Gulf Coast. In addition, some of these storms may cause localized areas of heavy rain this morning across eastern Texas into Louisiana. Snow is also expected on the northern periphery of the precipitation shield especially across the southern Appalachians early on Friday before the system moves out to sea on Saturday. Campbell Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php