Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 259 PM EST Sun Dec 30 2018 Valid 00Z Mon Dec 31 2018 - 00Z Wed Jan 2 2019 ...Turning much colder for the Plains and western U.S. with heavy rain from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes... A strong cold front currently crossing the northern plains will continue to drop southeastward through Monday. This arctic boundary will cause temperatures to plummet and wind chills to reach hazardous levels from Montana to Minnesota. Overnight lows in the -10 to -20 degree range are likely for these areas, and also for the central and northern Rockies. Another frontal boundary passing through the Intermountain West and southern Rockies through Monday will also be making weather headlines. This system will continue sinking southward through monday night and bring yet another round of significant snowfall for parts of Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, with some locations getting over 8 inches of accumulation before the event winds down. To the north, a band of moderate snow is forecast to spread eastward across the Dakotas into Minnesota along the arctic boundary. Farther east, mild and unsettled weather is expected to begin the work week as a storm system progresses out of the western Gulf of Mexico tonight and then reaches the Ohio Valley by Monday evening. The widespread rainfall that will be associated with this may be enhanced by strong thunderstorms on Monday. The rain will push into the Ohio Valley and then the Northeast as the surface low deepens on its track towards the Great Lakes. This will equate to rainy conditions for many areas on New Year's Eve. Farther south, much of Florida will remain south of the unsettled weather with well above normal temperatures likely. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php