Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 141 PM EST Thu Jan 28 2016 Valid 00Z Fri Jan 29 2016 - 00Z Sun Jan 31 2016 ...Heavy precipitation possible for portions of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California... ...Above average temperatures expected for much of the central U.S... Snow showers are expected across the Great Lakes region as a weak low pressure system moves through. Snow accumulations are expected to be on the lighter side, with amounts generally less than 6 inches. A warm front ahead of another area of low pressure will result in scattered areas of generally light snow and freezing rain across portions of the northern plains and Upper Midwest on Friday. A one two punch of pacific moisture will bring significant precipitation to the Pacific Northwest for the end of the work week. The first wave will come ashore this afternoon with heavy precipitation intercepting the Cascades and Coastal Range as well the Bitteroots and Central Mountains of Idaho. As the upper level energy associated with that wave moves into the Northern Plains a second wave comes ashore tomorrow afternoon. This storm will have a more significant upper level jet and dive further south than the first, affecting Northern California and the Central and Southern Sierras. Heavy rainfall of 2 to 6 inches will be possible in some locations along the west coast from Washington to Northern California, with the most significant rainfall expected in Northern California. Flash flooding will be a concern across portions of Northern California tomorrow. In the higher elevations significant snowfall will be possible across the Cascades, Sierras, and the Intermountain West. With the series of storms entering the west coast a trough will deepen over the western U.S. over the next two days. This will lead to a ridge developing across the eastern U.S. and the spread of above normal temperatures from the central to eastern U.S. Temperatures will run 10 to 20 degrees above climatology for late January for much of the central U.S. with temperatures trending in that direction across the eastern U.S. by the end of the period. Krekeler Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php