Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 242 PM EST Tue Dec 26 2017 Valid 00Z Wed Dec 27 2017 - 00Z Fri Dec 29 2017 ...Freezing rain possible over parts of the Pacific Northwest with snow in the Cascades and northern Rockies... ...Great Lakes to experience lake effect snow... ...Chance for mixed precipitation across parts of the Southeast... As a strong Pacific front begins to approach the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday, moisture will increase across the area. However, expect a dramatic increase in moisture by Thursday as the front begins moving into the region. This will allow snow to spread across the higher elevations of the Cascades and northern Plains--with pockets of freezing rain possible in the lower elevations in western Washington and Oregon. Lighter amounts of snowfall accumulations are expected on Wednesday with steady increase on Thursday. The heaviest snow will occur beyond the short term period. See WPC's winter weather products for more information. As westerly winds move across the Great Lakes region, cold air will travel over the lakes and give way to heavy lake effect snow downwind of the lakes. As an Arctic high pressure shifts toward the Great Lakes on Thursday, conditions become less favorable for heavy lake effect snow--however some snow could continue to linger. Showers will continue across the western Gulf Coast as southerly flow from a warm front transports moisture from the Gulf of Mexico into the region. As the frontal wave progresses eastward on Wednesday, most of the precipitation will also shift toward the central Gulf Coast. Precipitation will continue across the Southeast and the southern portions of South Carolina. However, with a shallow cold airmass in place--mixed precipitation and/or freezing rain could occur in parts of central Georgia to southeastern South Carolina. Reinhart Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php