Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 355 PM EST Sun Jan 03 2016 Valid 00Z Mon Jan 04 2016 - 00Z Wed Jan 06 2016 ...Lake effect snow to persist into Monday downwind of the Great Lakes... ...Below average temperatures expected for the eastern half of the country... ...Snow, sleet, and freezing rain expected for portions of the Pacific Northwest... An upper-level disturbance and the associated surface cold front are moving into the Great Lakes and the Northeast this afternoon. The front will usher a colder air mass across most of the Great Lakes, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic region by Monday morning. Lake effect snows will continue through tonight and into Monday as cold air behind the front moves across the relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes. Lake effect snow warnings are in effect for areas downwind of lakes Erie and Ontario, where storm total snowfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches are forecast. Localized bands of moderate to heavy lake effect snow will result in snow covered roads and limited visibilities at times. Lake effect snow bands will begin to decrease in intensity by Monday, finally coming to an end Monday evening as strong high pressure settles into the region. The cold air mass associated with this cold front will affect most of the eastern half of the country, where afternoon high temperatures on Monday are forecast to be 5 to 15 degrees below average. A large scale mid/upper-level low in the North Pacific, with numerous disturbances embedded in the flow, will keep the weather pattern unsettled across the western U.S. through the next few days. Wintry precipitation will create travel difficulties in portions of the northwestern U.S. A cold air mass in place after several days of offshore flow is allowing moisture spreading into the western Columbia River Gorge and the lower terrain west of the Oregon Cascades to fall as a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Occasional snow and sleet will gradually transition to freezing rain or drizzle tonight and Monday morning. Ice accumulations up to two tenths of an inch are forecast through Monday. Precipitation should change over to rain for most of this area by late Monday as warmer temperatures move into the region. Additionally, snowfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches are forecast in the Washington Cascades through Tuesday. Farther south, snowfall amounts are forecast to exceed one foot at the higher elevations of the Sierra Range. Across coastal California, heavy rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are possible. Snow will also spread into the higher terrain of the Four Corners region on Monday as an upper-level disturbance moves inland across the Southwest. Ryan Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php