Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 256 AM EST Thu Jan 04 2018 Valid 12Z Thu Jan 04 2018 - 12Z Sat Jan 06 2018 ...Heavy snow possible over New England... ...Heavy rain possible over the Pacific Northwest and Northern California Coast... ...Heavy snow downwind from the Great Lakes... ...Rain/freezing rain possible over parts of the interior Northwest into Northern Intermountain Region... A strong storm near the Mid-Atlantic Coast will travel northeastward into Southeastern Canada by Friday morning. The storm will produce heavy snow along the Mid-Atlantic Coast into Southern New England by Thursday morning that will move northward into the Northeast by Thursday afternoon, while ending over the Mid-Atlantic Coast by Thursday evening. The heavy snow will continue over the Northeast overnight Thursday beginning to wane on Friday morning. The snow will taper off to light snow over parts of Northern New England by Friday evening. Meanwhile, in the wake of the storm, an area of cold high pressure will move southward out of Central Canada into the Upper Mississippi Valley on Thursday into Friday. The cold air and upper-level energy will move over the Lakes producing lake effect snow downwind from the Great Lakes through Saturday. The snow may be heavy at times. In addition, upper-level jet dynamics will aid in producing a streak of light snow over parts of the Northern Plains/Upper Mississippi Valley, on Thursday, that will move to parts of the Western Ohio Valley before dissipating on Friday morning. In the meantime, weakening upper-level energy followed by a front will move into the Pacific Northwest Thursday into Saturday. Moisture will also move into the West Coast through Saturday, too. Rain will develop over parts of the Pacific Northwest Coast into Northern/Central California on Thursday that will expand into interior parts of the Northwest on Thursday evening into Friday evening. Some of the interior valleys of the Northwest/Northern Intermountain Region will develop areas of rain/freezing rain on Thursday evening into Friday evening as well. Key Messages: East Coast Winter Storm 1. Snowfall will increase northward into portions of the Mid-Atlantic and New England through Thursday. Blizzard conditions are possible close to the coastal in portions of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. 2. Confidence in heavy snowfall has increased for parts of the Northeast as the surface low is expected to track closer to the coast and intensify rapidly. 3. This system has the potential to produce strong, damaging winds possibly resulting in downed trees and/or power outages. 4. Minor to major coastal flooding/erosion is possible due to a combination of high tides and wave action, especially Thursday afternoon, January 4. 5. Warnings are in effect from Mid-Atlantic northward through New England, which means hazardous conditions are expected in the next 24-36 hours. Ziegenfelder Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php