Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 357 AM EDT Tue Mar 13 2018 Valid 12Z Tue Mar 13 2018 - 12Z Thu Mar 15 2018 ...A nor'easter is expected to bring blizzard conditions across southeastern New England on Tuesday... A powerful nor'easter is expected to hammer New England on Tuesday with heavy snow and blizzard conditions near the coast. As the storm center passes to the southeast of New England on Tuesday, the potential exists for mesoscale heavy snow bands to form near the coast, leading to bursts of heavy snow along with very gusty winds. Coastal flooding is also likely around times of high tide. A renewed surge of cold air will then become entrenched over the eastern U.S. behind the storm, leading to unseasonably cold temperatures for March to continue through the middle of the week, with Florida also feeling the effects of the colder weather. With a blocking pattern remaining in place across the high latitudes, the nor'easter is expected to directly affect Nova Scotia on Wednesday and then weaken. This will keep the snow and snow showers in place over much of New England on Wednesday near a trough of low pressure. The central U.S. should be relatively mild and mostly sunny through mid-week 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