Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
300 AM EST Wed Dec 22 2021

Valid 12Z Wed Dec 22 2021 - 12Z Fri Dec 24 2021

...Active weather with heavy mountain snow and lower elevation rain will
engulf much of the western U.S. during the next couple of days...

...Periods of snow over the Great Lakes as wintry weather over central and
northern New England today gives way to cold and blustery conditions
tonight...

...Persistent warm and dry conditions over the central U.S. with fire
danger over the Front Range...

The western U.S. is entering a period of unsettled weather as moisture
from a large decaying cyclone off the West Coast is forecast to push
onshore.  The precipitation currently moving into northern California is
only a preview of what is to come during the next couple of days as
another low pressure system near the west coast of Canada is forecast to
track toward the Pacific Northwest.  Active weather in the form of heavy
mountain snow and lower elevation rain will gradually engulf much of the
western U.S. through Friday morning under this weather pattern.  Major
mountain ranges such as the Over the Cascades and especially the Sierra
Nevada will likely see snowfall to be measured in feet.  Much of the
northern Rockies and will get 1-2 feet during the next few days.  For the
lower elevations along the West Coast, a couple more inches of rainfall
can be expected where the rain will be quite persistent and heavy at times.

A low pressure system is currently moving off into the Atlantic. Another
system, currently tracking across the Upper Midwest, will go on to produce
light snow showers across the Great Lakes tonight into Wednesday. As this
system intensifies tomorrow, snow rates will pick up across parts of
western and northern Maine, leading to the accumulation of 6-10 inches of
snow by Wednesday evening. Some light freezing rain may mix in over parts
of interior New England.

Critical Fire Risk is in effect for parts of southeastern Wyoming and
northwestern Nebraska tomorrow, as winds pick up due to the arrival of a
surface low pressure system and humidity remains low. Temperatures will
steadily rise above average across the Great Plains over the next few days
as a dome of high pressure moves into the region.

Kong/Kebede


Graphics are available at
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php