Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 324 AM EST Wed Jan 15 2014 Valid 12Z Wed Jan 15 2014 - 12Z Fri Jan 17 2014 ...A second clipper will bring gusty winds...light snows...and another shot of Arctic air to the north central U.S.... ...Dry conditions will persist out West... Light snows will accompany a weak clipper system lifting through the Great Lakes on Wednesday. Light shower activity will also be possible with the trailing cold front crossing the Appalachians and pushing off the Atlantic coast. Some of the precipitation will fall as snow...but limited moisture should keep accumulations to a minimum. Upstream...a second clipper system diving down from Canada will begin impacting the north central U.S. with gusty winds...light snows...and another shot of Arctic air. This system will follow a similar path as the previous clipper...streaking southeastward through the Upper Midwest on Wednesday and then crossing the Upper Great Lakes on Thursday. Although a lack of moisture will keep precipitation on the lighter side...the combination of snow and strong winds could make for dangerous white out conditions. A strong upper ridge locked in over the Eastern Pacific/West Coast will keep locations west of the Continental Divide dry for the next few days. The prolonged lack of precipitation...above normal temperatures...and gusty winds will pose a threat for wildfires across portions of California. Gerhardt Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php