Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 255 AM EST Sun Jan 15 2017 Valid 12Z Sun Jan 15 2017 - 12Z Tue Jan 17 2017 ...Major winter storm affecting parts of the central U.S. and Upper Midwest through Monday... Widespread freezing rain will continue over much of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri through Sunday and Sunday night warm advection aloft overrides sub-freezing temperatures at the surface. This is where the greatest impacts of the ice storm are currently expected. As of early Sunday morning, there are expansive ice storm warnings, freezing rain advisories and winter weather advisories in effect from northeast New Mexico to central Illinois. Winter storm watches and warnings are in effect for the northern edge of the precipitation shield, spanning from eastern Colorado to southern Minnesota, where significant accumulations of snow and sleet are likely. Farther to the south in the warm sector of this low pressure system, periods of heavy rain are likely across central and southern Texas along with a risk of some flash flooding. Elsewhere across the nation, rain and mountain snow is expected to return to the Pacific Northwest by Monday night compliments of strong onshore flow from the next approaching storm system. The rest of the West will enjoy a quiet weather pattern to begin the week with a surface high residing over the Great Basin. For the East Coast, expect the next chance of noteworthy precipitation to arrive by Tuesday morning as the central Plains storm system starts affecting the region, but with much less wintry weather by that time. D. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php