Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 259 AM EST Tue Feb 07 2017 Valid 12Z Tue Feb 07 2017 - 12Z Thu Feb 09 2017 ...Heavy rain and mountain snow will continue across the West over the next few days... ...Much of the eastern U.S. will be in an active, wet pattern through midweek... ...Near record warmth possible through midweek across portions of the Southern Plains through the Mid Atlantic... Another strong low pressure system is posed to begin impacting California and the Intermountain West starting today and continuing through midweek. A warm front will lift across the region, resulting in continued rainfall across the entire western coastal region, extending into portions of the central Great Basin and Southwest. Much of the Intermountain West and Rockies can expect continued snow from this system, especially in the higher elevations of the Cascades and northern Sierra Nevada Mountain Range where up to an additional foot of snow is possible. Flood watches and warnings are also currently in effect across portions of California, including the southern extent of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, where an addition 2 to 6 inches of upslope rainfall is possible through this evening. Northern Nevada and southern Idaho are also under flood watches for potential snow melts as the warm front allows temperatures to rise above freezing. Another low pressure system tracking across the mid Mississippi River Valley will continue to gain strength today as it combines with a cold Canadian airmass sliding southeast, merging across the northern Ohio Valley region by this afternoon. Warm Gulf air transporting northward ahead of an advancing strong cold front will help set the stage for strong to severe thunderstorm development. The Storm Prediction Center has outlined much of the deep south, and Tennessee and Ohio Valleys in a slight risk today, with strong storms now ongoing across these regions. Rain, possibly heavy at times, is forecast for much of the South, Southeast, Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, and Mid-Atlantic over the next few days. Further to the north, precipitation will likely fall as a wintry mix or all snow from the Upper Midwest to the Northeast. Winter Weather Advisories are in effect from Upper Minnesota to Upper Michigan, and from Pennsylvania to Maine. Additionally, a warming trend is expected for much of the eastern half of the U.S. ahead of the approaching cold front. A few records may be matched or exceeded for both daily high temperatures as well as daily high minimum temperatures from the Southern Plains to Great Lakes and Mid Atlantic today, and across much of the eastern Seaboard on Wednesday. Wix Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php