Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 350 AM EST Thu Jan 02 2014 Valid 12Z Thu Jan 02 2014 - 12Z Sat Jan 04 2014 ...Organizing winter storm to impact much of the Eastern U.S.... ...Arctic air set to infiltrate the Northeast in the wake of the system... Precipitation will continue to expand and push eastward today along and ahead of a frontal boundary draped from the Mid-Atlantic back toward the lower Mississippi Valley. In the Gulf Mexico, another frontal boundary is slowly lifting northward, helping to spread rain through the Southeast. These two areas will merge off the East Coast later tonight and will coalesce into a rapidly deepening system just southeast of New England. With cold air in place to the north and northwest of the low center, light to moderate snow is expected. Parts of southern New England and eastern/southeastern NY may experience a period of heavy snow with blustery winds as the low pressure deepens but pulls away from the coast very early Friday, making travel difficult between New York and Boston. To the south, the cold front will push through central and southern Florida with little fanfare outside of some scattered showers but cooler temperatures. Much colder air will usher into the East on Friday with many areas 20-30 degrees below normal. Precipitation should wind down on Friday as high pressure moves into the central Appalachians, setting up a very cold night for many Northeast cities. Some record low temperatures are possible. In the Pacific Northwest, a front will move onshore later today with rain/snow showers over the region, especially along and west of the Cascades. On Friday the system will push eastward, spreading rain/snow through the Bitterroots and into Wyoming. Cooler temperatures will follow behind the front. Fracasso Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php