Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 255 AM EST Wed Feb 06 2019 Valid 12Z Wed Feb 06 2019 - 12Z Fri Feb 08 2019 ...Sharp temperature contrasts expected over the next few days on either side of the arctic front lying along the lee of the Rockies...east northeast across the Southern Plains...Mid Mississippi Valley/Ohio Valley into the Mid Atlantic... ...A strengthening storm expected to spread heavy snows from the Northern Plains into the Upper Great Lakes and significant ice accumulations from the Mid Mississippi Valley...Lower Great Lakes into northern New York State and portions of New England.... ...Heavy to flooding rains possible from the Mid Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley along a nearly stationary frontal boundary... Strong temperature contrasts will persist across the lower 48 over the next several days on either side of the arctic front...initially lying along the lee of the Rockies and extending east northeastward from the Southern Plains into the Mid Mississippi Valley..Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic. Much above average temperatures expected Wednesday and Thursday from the Southern Plains...eastward across areas to the east of the Mississippi River. At the same time...much below average temperatures expected to the north of the arctic front across the Central to Northern Plains. While the coldest arctic air will be entrenched along and to the east of the Rockies...the remainder of the Western U.S. to the west of the Rockies will experience persistent below average temperatures as the mid to upper level heights remain below average across these regions this forecast period. The above mentioned arctic front is not expected to move much over first 36 hours of this forecast period. This will help to focus areas of heavy rains in the vicinity of this front from the Mid Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley region during Wednesday and Thursday. The combination of the slow moving front...above average moisture values and potential for areas of precipitation to repeat/train along the front will pose the potential for flooding issues Wednesday/Thursday from the Mid Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley. As strong mid to upper level height falls eject east northeastward from the Southwest into the Central Plains/Upper Mississippi Valley region Wednesday into Thursday...the above mentioned slow moving frontal boundary will begin to push south and eastward. This will bring sharply colder temperatures into the Southern Plains Thursday into Friday..into the Mississippi Valley....Ohio Valley...Great Lakes region Friday and across much of the eastern U.S. by Saturday. The strong ejecting mid to upper level height falls will also help deepen surface low pressure along the arctic front Thursday into Friday...with this strengthening storm moving from the Mid Mississippi Valley region into the Great Lakes. A broad region of heavy snows likely to the northwest of this deepening low from the eastern portions of the Northern Plains into the Upper Mississippi Valley/Upper Great Lakes region...with storm totals of 6-12"+ likely across these regions. To the southeast of the heavy snow regions...significant ice accumulations are possible from portions of the Mid Mississippi Valley...Lower Great Lakes and into northern New York State...Central to Northern New England. Oravec Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php