Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 259 AM EST Fri Dec 08 2017 Valid 12Z Fri Dec 08 2017 - 12Z Sun Dec 10 2017 ...Accumulating snowfall likely from southern Mississippi into the southern Appalachians, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast... ...Locally heavy lake effect snowfall to continue tonight downwind of the Great Lakes... ...Critical to extreme fire weather conditions expected to persist across portions of southern California... The upper level pattern will keep locations from the south-central to southeastern U.S. much colder than early December maximum temperatures today into Saturday. Temperatures will be roughly 10 to 20 degrees below average from central and southern Texas into the Carolinas today, located north of a strong frontal boundary currently stretching through the western Atlantic, through Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico. Early Friday morning, a broad swath of precipitation was located north of the strong front from South Texas to the central Gulf Coast and the Carolinas. Much of this precipitation was falling as a cold rain, but rare accumulating snow was occurring over portions of southern and southeastern Texas. As cold air continues to filter into the northern edges of the precipitation zone, a changeover to snow is expected for portions of the Deep South with one to two inches possible from southern Mississippi into northern Georgia into Friday night. As low pressure organizes off of the southeastern U.S., accumulating snow is also expected into the southern and central Appalachians as well as the Mid-Atlantic and into the Northeast. Some of the heavier accumulations of 3-6 inches are expected in the higher terrain of the southern Appalachians and across New England as the surface low strengthens late Saturday. A series of upper level impulses, each tied to a resurgence of colder air, will keep periodic lake effect snow showers in the forecast for the Great Lakes region through the weekend. The heaviest snowfall accumulations are expected across the U.P. of Michigan and along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan through the weekend. Out West, little change in the upper level pattern will keep a strong ridge of high pressure anchored over the Great Basin into early next week. The result will be continued gusty winds and very dangerous fire weather conditions across southern California where a combination of red flag warnings and high wind warnings is in effect. Elevated to critical fire weather concerns will also set up across the southern to central High Plains today with gusty winds and low relative humidities. Please monitor products issued by the local weather forecast offices across these areas for additional information. Otto Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php