Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 201 PM EST Wed Feb 03 2016 Valid 00Z Thu Feb 04 2016 - 00Z Sat Feb 06 2016 ...Strong storm system will affect the eastern U.S. Wednesday... ...Rain and mountain snow for the northwestern states... Deep moisture from the Gulf of Mexico is advecting northward as a strong cold front tracks through the eastern states. A long swath of showers and thunderstorms have developed from the eastern Gulf Coast to northern Maine and will continue to through the overnight hours into Thursday. The highest amounts are forecast for the Florida panhandle to southeast Virginia - amounts of 1 to 3+ inches. The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted portions of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic with a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms. Periods of intense rainfall will likely occur and localized flash flooding will be possible. The snow that ongoing over the Upper Midwest will slowly diminish through the evening. A shortwave trough and weakening frontal boundary will move inland this evening across the Pacific Northwest coast. A moisture plume oriented along the coast with modest forcing for ascent will tend to favor patchy areas of light rain from northern California to Washington state through Thursday, and snow at the higher elevations. Scattered areas of light snow over the northern Rockies and parts of the Intermountain West will continue through Thursday night. Campbell Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php