Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 347 AM EST Sun Dec 15 2019 Valid 12Z Sun Dec 15 2019 - 12Z Tue Dec 17 2019 ...Widespread wintry weather expected from the central Plains to the Northeast today through Tuesday... ...Strong to severe thunderstorms likely across the Deep South on Monday... ...Strong Santa Ana winds could impact southern California Monday into Tuesday... An intensifying low pressure system is exiting New England, bringing an end to the rain and mild temperatures across Maine this Sunday morning. Colder air and residual instability behind the departing storm will result in snow showers across interior New England and the western slopes of the central Appalachians today under blustery westerly winds. Arctic air will remain north of a front across the Great Lakes where snow showers can be expected today. The snow showers should gradually taper off tonight as the storm moves farther away into eastern Canada. Meanwhile, snow is developing and expanding across the central Plains this Sunday morning ahead of a low pressure complex across the southern Rockies, where more than a foot of snow is expected for today over the higher elevations of southern Colorado. As the associated upper-level trough quickly moves across the southern Rockies today, snow, freezing rain and mixed precipitation will spread eastward into the Midwest later today and into the Ohio Valley tonight. By Monday morning, a wide swath of snow is expected to impact areas from the central Plains eastward through the Midwest, the lower Great Lakes, central Appalachians, and into the northern Mid-Atlantic states. By Monday night into Tuesday morning, much of New England will see snow spreading in while mild air from the Atlantic will likely change the snow to freezing rain across southern New England. The coastal sections of the Northeast should see the snow changing over to plain rain by Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, thunderstorms will become likely across the Deep South as the low pressure system intensifies along a sharp front. Fueled by increasing moisture, warmth and instability from the Gulf of Mexico, the thunderstorms will likely become strong to severe as they sweep across the central and eastern Gulf states Monday and Monday night. In the wake of the front, a strong high builds into the Great Basin will set up a dry, gusty northeast flow across California on Monday and Tuesday, with the promise of cool, low-end Santa Ana winds. Due to recent rains, fire weather danger looks low per guidance from the Storm Prediction Center. Kong/Roth Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php