Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 256 AM EDT Tue Oct 21 2014 Valid 12Z Tue Oct 21 2014 - 12Z Thu Oct 23 2014 ***Active weather pattern across the Pacific Northwest*** ***Scattered showers and storms from Texas to the Upper Midwest*** ***Bad weather for the Northeast U.S. through midweek*** An active weather pattern continues across the northwest corner of the U.S. as a cold front approaches the coast on Wednesday morning. An atmospheric river of moisture is expected just ahead of this front, and this will result in moderate to heavy rainfall from western Oregon and extending northward into British Columbia. Across the higher elevations of western Washington, western Montana, and central Idaho, measurable snowfall is likely across the higher elevations. Parts of southern New Mexico and western Texas continue to have chances for scattered thunderstorms each afternoon and evening through midweek as an upper level disturbance and its associated instability remains over the region. A cold front crossing over the Central Plains by Wednesday afternoon and into Thursday is expected to draw some of this moisture northward towards the Upper Midwest. Things get interesting for New England and upstate New York as a nor'easter develops over the coastal waters of the Atlantic. An upper level disturbance is expected to drop across the Great Lakes into the Northeast, which will result in the development of this storm system. The heaviest rainfall is expected primarily northeast of Philadelphia as moisture is advected northward from the Atlantic Ocean. A few inches of rainfall is possible by Thursday morning over New England before the storm departs. Gusty winds and rough surf are also expected. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php