Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 300 PM EST Thu Dec 27 2018 Valid 00Z Fri Dec 28 2018 - 00Z Sun Dec 30 2018 ...Significant winter storm across the Upper Mississippi Valley/Great Lakes will continue through this evening... ...Heavy rainfall, flash flooding, and strong to severe thunderstorms possible across parts of the South... ...Significant winter storm to bring heavy snow and near blizzard conditions to much of New Mexico... The winter storm which has brought signficant accumulating snowfall and blizzard conditions to parts of the central/northern Plains into the Upper Mississippi Valley today, will continue pushing northeastward through tonight. Additional snow accumulations are possible from the eastern South Dakota to the western Great Lakes this evening and into early Friday, with high winds expected to result in blizzard conditions. Widespread winter storm warnings and blizzard warnings are in effect from the Central Plains into northern Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan through early Friday. Farther south, widespread rainfall, locally heavy at times, will spread north and eastward from the Lower Mississippi Valley/Southeast into the Mid-Atlantic. Flooding and flash flooding will be a threat and WPC has highlighted a slight to moderate risk for flash flooding from the Gulf Coast to the southern Appalachians through tonight, extending northward into the central Appalachians on Friday. Across mainly southern locations, strong to severe thunderstorms are also possible and SPC has a slight risk in place from eastern Louisiana to southern Mississippi through this evening. Some light snow accumulations are possible Friday across northern New England as well where winter weather advisories are in effect. A second winter storm will also affect parts of the Southwest beginning tonight and persisting into Saturday night. Snowfall will overspread the region from southern Colorado southward through eastern Arizona, New Mexico, and the panhandle of Texas with the heaviest snowfall likely across central and eastern New Mexico where as much as 1 to 2 feet is possible in the highest terrain. Strong winds will also accompany the snowfall, with blizzard conditions possible. After a short lull today and into tomorrow, another round of rain and higher elevation snows are expected to move into the Pacific Northwest beginning late Friday and into Saturday. With regard to temperatures across the contiguous U.S., well above normal temps are expected ahead of the big system across the Eastern U.S. while below to well below are possible behind it across the Plains and mountainous West. Santorelli Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php