Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 252 PM EST Tue Nov 29 2016 Valid 00Z Wed Nov 30 2016 - 00Z Fri Dec 02 2016 ...Heavy snow expected to gradually wind down tonight across the northern plains... ...Widespread rain expected from the lower Mississippi valley to the Northeast, with snow expected for northern Maine... ...Areas of snow and valley rain, along with below average temperatures expected for much of the western U.S... A slowly weakening low pressure system across the northern plains and Upper Midwest will continue to bring potentially heavy snow to to the Dakotas into this evening, before snow begins to gradually taper off overnight. Scattered snow and some rain showers will still be possible across the northern plains and Upper Midwest into Wednesday. Farther east, widespread rain and even some thunderstorms are expected tonight and Wednesday from the lower Mississippi valley to the Northeast. Some areas of heavy rain are possible across portions of the lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys through tonight. The showers and thunderstorms will reach the East Coast on Wednesday, with thunderstorms possible from the Southeast to the southern Mid-Atlantic region. By late in the day, snow is expected to develop across northern Maine as the precipitation spreads into colder air already in place. Snow may be heavy at times Wednesday night into Thursday. A cold front will move onshore in the Pacific Northwest early Wednesday morning, spreading rain and mountain snow inland. The precipitation move into the Intermountain West late Wednesday into Wednesday night, with snow expected at all but the lowest valley elevations. Temperatures across the West will be generally below average through Thursday. Afternoon high temperatures are expected to be 5 to 15 degrees below average. Ryan Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php