Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 248 AM EST Thu Jan 25 2018 Valid 12Z Thu Jan 25 2018 - 12Z Sat Jan 27 2018 ...Pacific storm system tracking eastward across the West with high pressure over the eastern U.S.... High pressure and warmer temperatures will expand from the central U.S. to the East Coast into the weekend. Afternoon highs will largely be near or above seasonal average for late January - ranging from the 40s across southern portions of the Northeast, 50s to low 60s in the Mid-Atlantic and the upper 60s to 70s in the Southeast by Sunday. Much of the central and eastern U.S. will be fairly dry through the end of week, except for South Texas, where scattered showers and thunderstorms will be most likely. A majority of the West Coast, Great Basin and Intermountain region will remain in a persistent wet pattern as a Pacific cold front tracks through the Intermountain West to the High Plains. Heavy rain will span from the Washington Coast south to portions of the northern California and heavy snow is forecast for the Cascades and northern Rockies. Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings are in effect for portions of the Cascades, southwest Oregon and northern California, as well as, a few counties in Idaho and southwest Montana. Although the intensity of snowfall is waning this morning, accumulations of one to two feet of snow will be likely in the mountains by this afternoon. Another surge of moisture will spread across the Pacific Northwest by the end of the weekend as the next Pacific system approaches the coast. Heavy coastal rain and heavy mountain snow will likely develop for Washington and Oregon Saturday. Campbell Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php