Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 254 PM EST Sun Dec 18 2016 Valid 00Z Mon Dec 19 2016 - 00Z Wed Dec 21 2016 ...Strong cold front clearing the Gulf Coast and East Coast, followed by a quieter weather pattern... The strong cold front currently crossing the eastern states this afternoon will push offshore the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic coasts this evening. However, the southern flank of this boundary will slowly advance southward through Florida over the next couple of days. Rain is expected from the Lower Mississippi Valley/eastern Gulf Coast to the Mid-Atlantic - with a narrow swath of freezing rain possible for eastern Virginia and southern Maryland. A fresh surge of frigid arctic air will sink through the Plains and Midwest, but will persist over much of the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and New England as an expansive surface high settles into the central U.S. Temperatures along and east of the Rockies will moderate Monday and Tuesday. An approaching Pacific low pressure system will spread another round of rain and mountain snow to the Pacific Northwest over the next few days. Freezing rain may be possible for interior valleys where cold air has become trapped. Campbell Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php