Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 513 PM EST Tue Jan 02 2018 Valid 00Z Wed Jan 03 2018 - 00Z Fri Jan 05 2018 ...A major east coast winter storm to bring hazardous winter travel conditions from the Southeast to New England through Friday, with the worst conditions expected along the immediate Eastern Seaboard from the Carolinas to Maine... ...Bitterly cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills to persist east of the Rockies into the weekend, as lake effect snowfall will continue 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. Key Messages: 1. This winter storm is forecast to bring the potential for a mix of freezing rain/sleet/snow from portions of northern Florida to South Carolina, and snowfall northward along portions of the Mid-Atlantic into northern New England. Blizzard conditions are possible across portions of eastern New England late Thursday. 2. If this winter storm tracks closer to the coast, it could mean more snow while a track farther east could mean less snow. 3. This system has the potential to produce strong, damaging winds possibly resulting in downed trees and/or power outages. 4. Minor to moderate coastal flooding/erosion is possible due to a combination of high tides and wave action, especially Thursday afternoon, January 4. 5. Winter Storm Watches and Warnings are in effect from north central Florida northward through southeast New England. Santorelli/Hurley Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php