Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 257 PM EST Fri Jan 19 2018 Valid 00Z Sat Jan 20 2018 - 00Z Mon Jan 22 2018 ...Precipitation moving into the southwestern U.S. late Friday... ...Heavy snows possible for portions of the Great Basin northern and central Rockies late Fri and Sat... ...Strong storm expected to develop over the central U.S. on Sunday... ...Unsettled weather to continue in the Northwest... ...Above normal temperatures persisting across the East... A well-defined cold front and its associated area of precipitation will continue to push southeast into the southwestern U.S. late Friday into early Saturday. Widespread precipitation is expected from the central Rockies back into the southwestern U.S., with heavy snow accumulations possible, especially across the mountains of southwest Wyoming, Utah and western Nevada. The front will push further east on Saturday, with precipitation, including heavy mountain snows, shifting further east across the central and southern Rockies. By Saturday night, expect a strengthening area of low pressure to organize over the southern High Plains and then track northeast, reaching eastern Kansas by late Sunday. North of the low, snows will extend from the Rockies into the central High Plains by late Saturday, shifting further east on Sunday, with moderate to heavy snows and gusty winds expected across portions of the central Great Plains into southern South Dakota and southern Minnesota by late Sunday. Further south and ahead of the low's trailing cold front, expect showers and thunderstorms to develop, increasing in coverage and intensity across eastern Oklahoma and Texas into the mid and lower Mississippi valley Sunday afternoon and evening. Expect the Northwest to remain unsettled through the period. Initially, a weakening low lingering north of Vancouver Island will continue to support precipitation and windy conditions across western Washington and Oregon into Saturday. Then the next frontal system is expected to move onshore Sunday, bringing another round of widespread precipitation to the northwestern U.S., including portions of northern California and the northern Rockies. Temperatures across the western U.S. will remain largely at or below normal for most areas west of the continental divide through the period. By Sunday, expect these cold temperatures to extend east across the Rockies and into the High Plains. Further east, above normal temperatures will prevail through the weekend from the lower plains and Mississippi valley across the eastern U.S. In many locations, temperatures are expected to remain 10-20 degrees above their climatological norms. Pereira Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php