Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 354 AM EDT Sat Nov 03 2018 Valid 12Z Sat Nov 03 2018 - 12Z Mon Nov 05 2018 ...Rapidly intensifying low pressure center to bring strong gusty winds to the Northeast on Saturday... ...Addition heavy rains for western Washington on Saturday... ...Heavy snows for portions of the northern and central Rockies late Saturday into Sunday... ...Elevated to critical fire weather concerns for portions of California and Arizona on Saturday... An area of low pressure lifting north along a frontal boundary currently extending along the East Coast is forecast to intensify rapidly as it tracks across New England into Atlantic Canada on Saturday. High Wind Watches and Warnings as well as Wind Advisories are in effect for portions of eastern New York and New England, where wind gusts of 50 mph or greater can be expected. In addition to increasing winds, showers and storms will continue to lift across the Northeast on Saturday, with precipitation waning as the low tracks into Canada late in the day. Winds are expected to diminish as well, with high pressure supporting dry and more calm conditions across much of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic on Sunday. However, the front is expected to linger and then slowly return back to the north across Florida, encouraging the northward expansion of showers and thunderstorms across the state through the weekend. Across the central U.S., widespread precipitation, including a wintry mix across portions of the Dakotas and Minnesota, will continue to spread east across the northern and central Plains into the upper Midwest on Saturday. By the evening hours, showers and thunderstorms are forecast to develop further to the south as a cold front pushes east through the southern Plains toward the lower Mississippi valley. These storms will continue push east into the lower Mississippi valley Saturday night into Sunday morning, with rains further to the north moving from the mid-Mississippi into the Ohio valley. A wintry mix will continue to spread east from Minnesota into the upper Great Lakes region Sunday morning, before turning over to rain as warm air moves in ahead of an approaching low. In the West, by late Saturday another moisture-laden frontal system is forecast to move into the Pacific Northwest. This is expected to bring another round of heavy precipitation to the Olympic Peninsula and the northern Cascades. Precipitation will continue to spread east into the northern and central Rockies Saturday night and Sunday, producing some locally heavy snow accumulations. Winter Storm Watches are currently in effect for the ranges along the Idaho-Wyoming border, as well as for portions of southwest Montana and southeast Wyoming. Across California and Arizona, dry conditions will continue. Gusty north winds along with low relative humidities are expected to result in elevated to locally critical fire weather concerns across portions of Southern California, the Sacramento valley and adjacent coastal ranges, as well as along the lower Colorado valley. Red Flag warnings have been issued for portions of northern California today. Pereira Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php