Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 331 PM EST Sat Jan 6 2018 Valid 00Z Sun Jan 7 2018 - 00Z Tue Jan 9 2018 ...Widespread precipitation returns to the western U.S. and the cold weather starts to abate some across the eastern states... The frigid weather continues to make weather headlines across the eastern third of the nation this weekend as a massive arctic air mass continues to exert its influence on the region. Many record lows will be possible Saturday night from the Carolinas to New England, especially over areas that have appreciable snow on the ground. Subzero lows will be possible as far south as interior parts of eastern North Carolina! Wind chill warnings remain in effect from northern Pennsylvania to Maine, where wind chills could reach colder than 20 below. After another cold day on Sunday, warmer temperatures are expected by the beginning of the week as the arctic high moves offshore and the upper level pattern is less amplified. With a large scale trough approaching the West Coast on Monday, the recent dry conditions are forecast to give way to widespread showers and mountain snow for the first half of the work week. The first low pressure system will track towards British Columbia and result in rain and mountain snow for western Oregon and western Washington. The second storm will have more of an effect on California, including heavy snow for the Sierra. This will provide welcome relief to any remaining fire-fighting efforts. Some areas near the coast may receive 1 to 2 inches of rainfall through early Tuesday. Another low pressure system near the Gulf Coast will provide another area of widespread rainfall from the southern Plains to the Ohio Valley, with locally heavy rainfall possible over parts of Louisiana and Mississippi on Monday. Some mixed precipitation will be possible farther north from Missouri to the Ohio Valley with mainly minor freezing rain and sleet possible. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php