Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 250 AM EST Sat Feb 20 2016 Valid 12Z Sat Feb 20 2016 - 12Z Mon Feb 22 2016 ...Coastal rain and mountain snow for the Pacific Northwest... ...Snow possible over parts of the Northeast... ...Temperatures will be 15 to 20 degrees above average from the Ohio Valley to the Central Plains and over parts of the Southern Plains... Rain and high elevation snow will taper off across portions of the Pacific Northwest and northern California by this afternoon and across the Intermountain West tonight. However, another round of rain and mountain snow is expected Sunday and Monday as the next system approaches the Pacific Northwest and tracks through the Intermountain West and into the High Plains. Locally heavy rain will be possible, and snowfall amounts up to 1 foot will be possible at the higher elevations of the Cascades. Snow amounts for the northern/central Rockies will likely just be a few inches. The recent warm spell across the West has caused numerous mountains streams to thaw, therefore rapid runoff may result in stream/river flooding, ranging from minor to major, across portions of Montana and Nevada over the next few days. A vigorous low pressure system will continue to trek from the Great Lakes/ Ohio Valley through the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast and into the North Atlantic by Monday. Precipitation will decrease across New England through this morning. Additional 1 to 4 inches of snow will be possible for northern New Hampshire and Maine. A secondary cold front pushing south and east from Canada will bring another round of precipitation to the High Plains, Upper Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast Sunday and Monday. Snow accumulations are forecast to be light for these areas. The central flank of this system will become nearly stationary today across the Midwest, with the Southern flank pushing through the Southern Plains as a cold front. Thunderstorms may develop for the Southern Plains, Midwest and Tennessee Valley as warm, moist air advects northward. Higher rainfall amounts will focus today along the boundary from eastern Missouri to southern Ohio and across the South and Southeast through Monday. A vast area spanning from Texas to South Carolina could have 3-day rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches. Much of the central U.S. will have afternoon high temperatures that will range 10 to 25 degrees above average for this time of the year. Temperatures will return to near normal by Monday as cooler air settles in after the frontal passage. Campbell Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php