Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 259 AM EST Tue Mar 06 2018 Valid 12Z Tue Mar 06 2018 - 12Z Thu Mar 08 2018 ...Heavy snow and strong winds will continue for the Northern Plains through the Upper Midwest, with blizzard conditions expected locally... ...Showers and storms will occur ahead of a cold front from the Gulf Coast through the Southeast and Carolinas... ...Critical fire danger continues through the middle of the week in the Southern and Central Plains... ...Another nor'easter develops on Wednesday, spreading snow to the northern Mid-Atlantic and Northeast... Widespread heavy snow is forecast from the Northern High Plains, the Great Lakes/Ohio Valley region and the Northeast as an occluded surface front tracks eastward. Along and ahead of the trailing cold front, showers and thunderstorms will develop from the western Gulf states north to the southern Ohio Valley and east into the Carolinas and Southeast. A wave along this frontal boundary will quickly transition this system into a nor'easter, which will bring additional 6 to 10 inches west of the major Metro areas, with higher amounts possible, to portions of the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast Wednesday and Thursday. Lighter snowfall is forecast for the Central Appalachians and back into the northern Ohio Valley and Great Lakes region. The heavy snow and strong wind has created blizzard conditions yesterday across portions of the Northern Plains that have persist through the overnight hours. Conditions will begin to improve this morning/afternoon from west to east as the front tracks eastward. Numerous Blizzard Warnings, Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories are in effect for the Northern Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley. Behind the cold front, strong wind speeds and dry air will filter into the central U.S. This will lead to continued critical fire danger for eastern Colorado through much of Kansas and Oklahoma as well as the Texas Panhandle through Monday night, and an elevated to critical risk will remain on Tuesday. Red Flag Warnings are in effect, and High Wind Warnings are in effect farther north across western South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas, as well as eastern Wyoming and Colorado. Southwestern California is also forecast to have elevated fire conditions on Tuesday, as the western U.S. is generally expected to be dry over the next couple days before a low pressure system approaches Wednesday evening. Rain will be possible from the central California coast northward to the Pacific Northwest. Campbell/Tate Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php