Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 300 PM EST Mon Jan 14 2019 Valid 00Z Tue Jan 15 2019 - 00Z Thu Jan 17 2019 ...Heavy precipitation returning to western U.S.... ...Relatively quiet weather across the eastern two-thirds of the country... After the recent snow event across the Midwest through the Mid-Atlantic, our attention are turning to the West Coast as multiple energetic weather systems from the Pacific are forecast to move onshore during the next few days. Heavy precipitation associated with first wave of these weather systems is already impacting central and southern California. The result is widespread rain which could cause some localized flooding, especially for the coastal mountain ranges in southern California. Farther inland, heavy snow is likely for the Sierra Nevada where accumulations could exceed two feet through Wednesday. The associated moisture will penetrate well inland during the next couple of days, reaching the central Rockies in the form of mountain snows on Wednesday. In the meantime, moisture associated with a more energetic low pressure system is forecast to reach the Pacific Northwest coast and northern California later on Wednesday. Elsewhere across much the rest of the country, relatively quiet weather is expected through Wednesday as a large surface high pressure system remains dominating much of the South. Temperatures will be warmer than normal over the northern and central Plains on Tuesday. But a strong cold front will bring arctic air back into the northern Plains on Tuesday, reaching the central Plains on Wednesday. Some mixed precipitation is expected to move across the Great Lakes Tuesday night, reaching New England as snow showers on Wednesday. As the high pressure system in the South moves very slowly toward Florida, return flow from the Gulf of Mexico will begin to bring increasing moisture through eastern Texas and into the central Plains, where some showers are likely on Wednesday. In addition, the northern extent of the moisture could result in some wintry precipitation across the north-central Plains on Wednesday as well. Kong Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php