Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 256 AM EST Thu Feb 23 2017 Valid 12Z Thu Feb 23 2017 - 12Z Sat Feb 25 2017 ...Locally heavy rain possible across portions of the Florida Peninsula through Thursday morning... ...Record warm temperatures possible for much of the central and eastern U.S. through Friday... ...Winter storm expected to bring heavy snow and gusty winds from portions of the central and northern Rockies to the Upper Midwest... Showers and thunderstorms are expected to persist this morning along the Southeast coast as a low pressure system continues tracking eastward over the Atlantic Ocean. A swath of the eastern Florida coastline may have isolated heavy rain as warm, moist air draws in around the central low pressure. Shower activity will taper off during the day as the system pushes further offshore. Much of the central and eastern states will continue to observe warmer than average temperatures through Friday with a broad area of high pressure in place aloft. Forecast highs ranging 15 to 30 degrees above seasonal average will be possible from the Lower Mississippi valley to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. The widespread warmth may lead to several locations to reach or exceed daily records. A winter storm is expected to develop and track from the Rockies to the Upper Midwest over the next few days. A surface low spinning up in the lee of the Colorado Rockies will help generate snow, possibly heavy snow, from the central and northern Rockies east into the High Plains. This area of low pressure is expected to deepen today as it heads through the central plains, and into the Midwest on Friday. The system is expected to bring potentially heavy snow and gusty winds to a large area from the central and northern Rockies to portions of the Upper Midwest and Upper Great Lakes. A vast area spanning from Montana/Wyoming to Wisconsin have a plethora of hazards in place, including: Blizzard warnings, winter storm warnings, winter weather advisories, blizzard watches and winter storm watches. South of the snow area, rain and thunderstorms are expected today and Friday from portions of the mid and upper-Mississippi valley to the southern Great Lakes and Ohio valley. Some storms could be severe on Friday across portions of the Ohio valley and southern Great Lakes. Please refer to products issued by the Storm Prediction Center for further details on the severe weather threat. Campbell/Ryan Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php