Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 254 AM EDT Mon Mar 12 2018 Valid 12Z Mon Mar 12 2018 - 12Z Wed Mar 14 2018 ...Developing nor'easter to affect the East Coast and unsettled conditions return to the western states, and dry for the Plains... The biggest weather story for the beginning of the work week will be a rapidly developing nor'easter over the western Atlantic on Monday and reaching the Canadian maritimes by Tuesday night. This is in response to a strong upper level shortwave disturbance crossing the southeast U.S. on Monday, and widespread rain is expected from Florida to central Virginia. Moderate to heavy snow is likely for West Virginia and the mountains of Virginia where winter storm warnings are in effect. After the precipitation ends in the Mid-Atlantic region Monday night, attention turns to New England as the third nor'easter in two weeks is expected to bring significant snow from Connecticut to Maine, with some locations possibly getting in excess of a foot of snow. Parts of upstate New York are also likely to get heavy snow through the middle of the week. With the forecast track of the storm expected to be farther southeast than the last two events, the highest winds and waves should remain over the offshore waters. The central U.S. should be relatively mild and mostly sunny over the next few days under a large surface high pressure ridge. The West will be increasingly wet/snowy and unsettled as a front approaches and moves inland. The greatest rainfall should be focused over the favored terrain of northern and central California, with some locations receiving 2 to 4 inches of rain through Wednesday morning. Heavy snow is expected across the higher mountainous terrain, with the greatest amounts likely for the Sierra Nevada mountains.. D. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php