Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 244 PM EST Tue Jan 02 2018 Valid 00Z Wed Jan 03 2018 - 00Z Fri Jan 05 2018 ...Well below normal temperatures to persist east of the Rockies as a potentially significant winter storm develops off the East Coast... ...Lake effect snowfall to continue this week downwind of the Great Lakes... Reinforcing shots of arctic air will continue across much of the Eastern half of the country through this week keeping afternoon highs as much as 10 to 20 degrees below normal. Meanwhile, an area of low pressure developing over the Bahamas by tomorrow morning will rapidly deepen as it moves northward off the East coast Wednesday and Thursday. Given the cold air locked in place, this will allow for potentially significant wintry precipitation to spread along the East Coast from the Florida panhandle to Maine. As much as a quarter of an inch of ice and a couple inches of snow, with locally higher amounts, are possible from portions of the Florida panhandle to eastern North Carolina tonight and into tomorrow. By Wednesday, heavy snowfall will begin to develop along the Mid-Atlantic coast and into the Northeast, mainly along and east of the I-95 corridor. The highest snowfall accumulation is expected across eastern New England where upwards of 6 inches is possible. In addition to wintry precipitation, high winds and dangerous wind chills are expected by Thursday across much of the Northeast as the Atlantic surface low rapidly strengthens off the coast. Elsewhere, persistent westerly flow will allow for lake effect snows to continue downwind of the Great Lakes. Generally light to moderate accumulations are expected. Out west, rain will move into California and the Pacific Northwest by Wednesday evening as an upper level system over the Eastern Pacific approaches the region. Above normal temperatures are also expected to continue across much of the Western states. Santorelli Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php