Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 124 PM EDT Sun Oct 15 2017 Valid 00Z Mon Oct 16 2017 - 00Z Wed Oct 18 2017 ...Pattern change for the eastern U.S. by Monday morning... A strong cold front will continue tracking eastward across the Appalachians and then reach the East Coast by early Monday. A broad swath of showers and a few thunderstorms are likely in the vicinity of the front through Sunday night, but less heavy compared to what occurred yesterday over the Midwest and Great Lakes. This front will herald a significant drop in temperatures and humidity compared to recent days, making it feel more like autumn for the first half of the work week across the eastern U.S. The first frost and/or freeze will be possible for interior portions of the northeast U.S. Easterly flow across Florida will bring deep moisture and instability to the peninsula ahead of the frontal boundary, with scattered showers and storms. By Monday afternoon, showers and thunderstorms will be confined mostly to South Florida and the Keys as the East Coast cold front progresses farther south. Across the western U.S., an upper level ridge will be centered over California through Tuesday, with a sprawling surface high across the western half of the nation. With the exception for some showers and high elevation snow across the Pacific Northwest, this will equate to a very dry weather pattern for the Plains and most of the western U.S. Gusty winds will also aggravate existing fire weather concerns across parts of California on Sunday. D. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php