Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 340 PM EST Thu Dec 3 2015 Valid 00Z Fri Dec 4 2015 - 00Z Sun Dec 6 2015 ***Periods of rain and mountain snow for the Pacific Northwest*** ***Heavy rain for parts of Florida*** ***Quiet weather across most of the nation*** An active storm track across the northern Pacific is expected to result in unsettled conditions from northern California to the Pacific Northwest through Saturday. A cold front moving onshore on Thursday is bringing widespread rain and wind from the San Francisco area to British Columbia, and significant snowfall for the Sierra Nevada, Cascades, and northern Rockies. On Saturday, a stronger system is forecast to affect the same general area, with 1 to 3 inches of rainfall and at least a foot of snow for the highest elevations. Gusty winds in excess of 50 mph are possible for the coastal areas with both of these events. After several days of clouds and rain, the majority of the East Coast will be enjoying mostly clear skies and seasonal temperatures. The exceptions will be the state of Maine and the Florida Peninsula. The wintry weather associated with the departing surface low over the Canadian maritimes should gradually end overnight for Maine, where several inches of snowfall is likely. Periods of heavy rain and occasional thunderstorms can be expected for the southern half of Florida as a stationary frontal boundary remains near the coast. Elsewhere across the continental U.S., things should be rather uneventful as a surface high over both the eastern U.S. and Intermountain West govern the overall weather pattern with little in the way of any precipitation. There are no indications of any arctic air intrusions in the near future, with seasonal temperatures for most of the nation through the weekend. D. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php