Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 252 PM EST Wed Jan 22 2014 Valid 00Z Thu Jan 23 2014 - 00Z Sat Jan 25 2014 ...Frigid Arctic air mass to remain firmly in place across the central and eastern U.S... ...Mix of wintry precipitation possible Thursday and Friday for portions of Texas and Louisiana... A large upper-level trough will remain in place across the eastern half of the U.S. through the short range forecast period as Arctic air remains firmly entrenched across these regions with temperatures well below average. A fast-moving clipper-type system will bring snow to the Midwest and Great Lakes tonight and into portions of the Appalachians and Northeast on Thursday. An area of heavier/more widespread snow is possible tonight over the Upper Peninsula of Michigan as upward atmospheric motion is enhanced by an east-west oriented frontal zone over the Great Lakes. This clipper system will usher yet another round of Arctic air into the U.S., this one will spread farther south all the way into the southern Plains on Thursday and to the Gulf Coast by Thursday night. As the moisture from the Gulf of Mexico lifts across the Arctic front over Texas and Louisiana Thursday into Thursday night, an area of generally light precipitation will develop. As colder air infiltrates the region, precipitation may fall as snow on the northern fringes of the precipitation. Farther south, an area of sleet and freezing rain is possible Thursday night into Friday morning across central and southern Texas, extending all the way to the Texas Gulf Coast by early Friday morning. Please refer to the QPFHSD product issued by the WPC Winter Weather Desk for more specific details on the winter weather associated with this system. By Friday morning, another clipper system will spread scattered areas of snow across the Midwest. Across the West, a weak upper-level disturbance will bring areas of snow to parts of the Intermountain West and High Plains on Thursday. Along the West Coast, generally dry conditions are expected to remain in place through the short range period as an upper-level ridge of high pressure over the Pacific will keep any significant storm systems from impacting the western states. Ryan Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php