Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 231 PM EDT Thu Oct 25 2018 Valid 00Z Fri Oct 26 2018 - 00Z Sun Oct 28 2018 ...Heavy rains and strong storms possible for portions of the Gulf Coast... ...Developing coastal low to bring widespread precipitation to the eastern U.S.... ...Heavier precipitation for western Washington and Oregon... ...Warm dry conditions for the southwestern U.S.... An area of low pressure will continue to track east along the central Gulf Coast late Thursday into early Friday, with rain and thunderstorms shifting east across the lower Ohio and Tennessee valleys and the southeastern U.S. Some of these storms may become strong to severe and produce locally heavy rains, especially along portions of the Gulf coast where the Storm Prediction Center has highlighted a Marginal Risk for severe weather and the Weather Prediction Center has highlighted a Marginal Risk for flash flooding through the overnight hours into early Friday. On Friday, models continue to signal the development of a coastal low along the Southeast coast which is expected to impact the eastern U.S. as it tracks north through the weekend. Rains are forecast to lift north across the Ohio valley and Mid-Atlantic region, including some thunderstorms along the coast on Friday. Precipitation is expected to reach into the Northeast by Saturday morning. While rain is forecast to be the predominate precipitation type for most areas, mixed precipitation at the onset with accumulating snow and ice can be expected for portions of northern Upstate New York and northern New England, especially along the higher terrain. Rain may also change over to frozen precipitation further south across the western Pennsylvania mountains as cold air deepens west of the strengthening low on Saturday. Portions of the upper Midwest and Great Lakes will continue to see periods of rain as a slow-moving frontal boundary remains in place into the weekend. This will be followed by an area of low pressure dropping southeast from western Canada into the region on Saturday. In the West, a pair of frontal systems will help produce areas of precipitation as they move across the Northwest into the northern Rockies. This will include some heavier amounts for portions of western Washington and Oregon, especially along the coastal mountain ranges and the northern Cascades. Elsewhere, areas across the western U.S. are forecast to remain mostly dry over the next few days. This will continue to promote elevated fire conditions for portions of Southern California. Temperatures for much of the eastern third of the U.S. will be at or below normal through Saturday. This will contrast with at or above normal temperatures that will persist across the West and extend east across the Plains Friday and Saturday. Pereira Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php