Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 258 PM EST Sun Jan 7 2018 Valid 00Z Mon Jan 8 2018 - 00Z Wed Jan 10 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 as a massive arctic air mass slowly moves off the Mid-Atlantic coast. After record cold across much of the East Coast, a gradual warm-up ensues on Monday after another very cold night Sunday night, albeit not to the extremes observed on Saturday night for most areas. With the departure of the arctic high comes the next threat of wintry precipitation across the Midwest and Ohio Valley Sunday night, and northern portions of the Mid-Atlantic on Monday. Winter weather advisories are in effect for light freezing rain and sleet for these areas, and light to moderate snow farther to the north. This will mainly be a nuisance type event. With a large scale trough and upper level low approaching the California Coast on Monday night, the recent dry conditions are forecast to give way to widespread showers and mountain snow for the first half of the work week. This will provide welcome relief for any remaining fire-fighting efforts. Some areas near the coast may receive 2 to locally 4 inches of rainfall through late Tuesday, and over a foot of fresh snow for the Sierra mountains. Another low pressure system near the Gulf Coast will provide widespread rainfall from the southern Plains to the Deep South, with locally heavy rainfall possible over parts of Louisiana and Mississippi on Monday. Flood watches are in effect for parts of the central Gulf Coast where rainfall amounts could locally exceed two inches. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php