Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 237 AM EST Mon Jan 15 2018 Valid 12Z Mon Jan 15 2018 - 12Z Wed Jan 17 2018 ...Another round of significant cold to impact the Plains and Midwest early this week... ...Wintry mix expected for portions of central and southern Texas into the lower Mississippi valley Monday night and Tuesday... A cold front will steadily drop southward today, reaching central Texas by this evening, and the western Gulf Coast by Tuesday morning. Gusty northerly winds will usher in arctic air behind the cold front with maximum temperatures forecast to be roughly 15 to 30 degrees below mid-January averages today across the central and northern Plains. Given this is the coldest time of year from a climatological perspective, this translates into highs below zero for much of the Dakotas with below freezing highs as far south as the northern Texas panhandle into northern Arkansas for the day today. As the cold front moves southward through Texas tonight, it will encounter greater moisture moving north from the western Gulf of Mexico, allowing for a wintry mix of precipitation extending from central Texas, across the ArkLaTex and into the lower Mississippi valley. Snow should be the main precipitation type from far northeastern Texas into and across the Mississippi River valley, but sleet and freezing rain are expected for central and southern Texas starting tonight and lasting into early Tuesday night. Minor accumulations could causing significant travel delays given these parts of the South are not accustomed to handling icy conditions. The modified arctic air will spread south and east through Wednesday, weakening some in its potency as it reaches the East Coast. However, temperatures will be cold enough to support snow across the central Appalachians into the northern Mid-Atlantic region with accumulations possible by late Wednesday morning. A coastal low is expected to organize off of the New England coast during the day on Wednesday which could bring some moderate snowfall accumulations to New England for mid-week. Meanwhile, temperatures will follow a warming trend for the northern Plains into mid-week while temperatures across the West remain above average. Rain associated with a cold front will reach the West Coast tonight but stay relatively light as the front dissipates inland. After a short break, a second and stronger push of moisture is expected to impact the West Coast beginning mid to late in the day on Wednesday. Otto Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php