Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 141 AM EST Tue Feb 17 2015 Valid 12Z Tue Feb 17 2015 - 12Z Thu Feb 19 2015 ***Winter storm exits the East Coast on Wednesday*** ***Another arctic fronts brings incredibly cold temperatures*** ***Mild and dry for the western United States*** The overall weather pattern through the middle of the week will be featured with a pronounced upper level trough over the eastern half of the country, and a big upper level ridge for the western states. This will keep the West Coast, the Intermountain West, and the Desert Southwest warmer and drier than normal, and the central and eastern parts of the U.S. much colder than normal. Although the weather is pleasant out west, the drought continues for California and much of the Intermountain West, and no appreciable rain is in the forecast over the next couple of days. The winter storm that brought widespread heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain to much of the south-central U.S. has now reached the East Coast as of early Monday morning. Some lingering light snow can be expected from the Delmarva Peninsula to eastern New England before drier weather arrives by afternoon. Showers and thunderstorms can still be expected near the Gulf Coast and over Florida as the cold front continues moving southward. The unusually cold weather is forecast to continue through much of the upcoming week for the eastern U.S. Incredibly, another arctic front will arrive to the East Coast by Wednesday night, and this will bring some truly frigid conditions with it. Some places from the Carolinas to the Mid-Atlantic may see some of the coldest weather since the mid-1990s! Numerous record low temperatures are expected. D. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php