Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 310 AM EST Thu Feb 13 2014 Valid 12Z Thu Feb 13 2014 - 12Z Sat Feb 15 2014 ...Major winter storm begins its track up the Eastern Seaboard... ...Heavy rains and mountain snows expected across the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies... The same storm that brought heavy snows and significant ice accumulations to portions of the Southeast on Thursday will begin its track up the Eastern Seaboard on Friday. An abundance of Atlantic moisture getting wrapped into the storm will continue to fuel widespread precipitation...which should lift through the Mid-Atlantic States and Northeast Thursday into Friday. A wide swath of heavy snow accumulations are expected with this storm...but air advecting off the warmer ocean water should change snow over to rain along the coastal areas. Also...a narrow axis of sleet and freezing rain will be possible within the transition zone...which is expected to set up near the I-95 corridor. Please refer to the Winter Weather Desk's Heavy Snow Discussion (QPFHSD) for more details on this event. The combination of persistent onshore flow...impulses of energy aloft...and orographics will keep weather active across the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies Thursday and Friday. Widespread moderate to heavy precipitation is expected across the region...and although snow levels will be relatively high...accumulations are still expected along the higher elevations of the Cascades and Northern Rockies. Light snows are expected with a weak clipper system streaking through the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes on Thursday. Upstream...light snows will also be possible a second system dropping through the Dakotas Thursday evening and into the southern Appalachians by Friday night. Both of these features will be quick moving and pretty moisture starved...keeping snowfall accumulations to minimum. Gerhardt Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php