Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 327 AM EST Wed Jan 21 2015 Valid 12Z Wed Jan 21 2015 - 12Z Fri Jan 23 2015 ***Light snow expected from the Upper Midwest to Mid-Atlantic*** ***Developing storm system over Texas and the Gulf of Mexico*** The upper-level pattern through Thursday will be featured with a ridge over the West Coast and a developing trough over the central U.S. along with a developing shortwave trough. On Wednesday, a couple of weak disturbances in northwest flow aloft will help generate patchy areas of light snow from the Midwest to the northern Mid-Atlantic region. This will mainly be a nuisance type event with most snowfall amounts forecast to be under three inches. Some light rain is likely to mix with the snow on the southern fringe of the precipitation. Looking ahead towards Wednesday night and into Thursday, a larger area of precipitation is forecast to develop from the southern Rockies to the Deep South. This is in response to a developing surface low over southern Texas along the stalled frontal boundary. A strong shortwave trough will begin energizing this system as it traverses the Gulf of Mexico, bringing moderate to locally heavy rain into Texas and the Deep south. Snow is expected for western Texas and into New Mexico and Colorado, where winter storm warnings are now in effect. A few rumbles of thunder will also be possible near the Gulf Coast as warmer and more humid air advects northward. Elsewhere across the continental U.S., expect mostly quiet weather conditions to continue through Thursday, with a sprawling surface high over much of the western U.S. and extending eastward to the central Plains. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php