Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 306 AM EST Wed Feb 26 2014 Valid 12Z Wed Feb 26 2014 - 12Z Fri Feb 28 2014 ...Arctic air continues to filter into the eastern two thirds of the Country... ...Showers and thunderstorms expected along the Gulf Coast states... ...Much needed precipitation should move into drought stricken California... With an arctic airmass in place, temperatures will remain below average over a good portion of the nation east of the Rockies through the next couple of days. Teens and single digit highs are expected across much the upper Midwest and Great Lakes regions today, while temperatures struggle to get above freezing in locations as far south as the Tennessee valley. By Thursday temperatures should begin to rebound across the central and southern Plains to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. However back the north, a reinforcing shot of colder air will move across the upper Midwest and Great Lakes, driving temperatures even lower. From the eastern Dakotas to the upper Great Lakes, subzero to single digits are the expected daytime highs on Thursday -- temperatures that are 30 to 40 degrees below normal for this time of year. In addition to some lake effect snow showers, scattered light snows may focus near the low pressure center associated with the reinforcing shot of colder air as it moves across the upper Midwest and Great Lakes. Otherwise, expect dry conditions across this region through the period. Further to the east, expect some light snows to move across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast early today in association with an upper disturbance and weak cold front moving across the region. Then later in the period as the low crossing the Midwest nears the Northeast coast and gains access to some Atlantic moisture, it may develop some better organized heavier snows along the northern New England coast by late Thursday. Further to the south at the leading edge of the initial shot of arctic air, a frontal boundary will continue to focus convection along the Gulf coast today. Moisture drawn from the Gulf should fuel some organized areas of moderate to heavy rains over this region today, especially from the central Gulf coast into north Florida. The boundary and associated precipitation should drop down into the Gulf by early Thursday, but Florida will see continued shower and thunderstorm activity as the front pushes through the state. A long-standing ridge in the West will give way to an approaching Pacific system, allowing precipitation to spread inland over the Western U.S. beginning later today. Drought stricken California should see the brunt of the action, with the highest totals expected along the Sierra and the coastal ranges. By Thursday expect this system to move across the Great Basin into the Rockies, but with another system nearing the California coast by early Friday. Pereira Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php