Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 259 AM EST Mon Dec 23 2019 Valid 12Z Mon Dec 23 2019 - 12Z Wed Dec 25 2019 ...Soaking Rain in the Southeast U.S. with localized flooding possible... ...Scattered Showers and Mountain Snow in the Southwest and Intermountain West... ...Dry and Mild Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for Most... A moisture rich low pressure system will produce additional rainfall across the coastal Southeast today. Heavy showers and thunderstorms drenching Florida early this morning will move east as a cold front passes through the Sunshine State. Lingering showers will persist today before drier conditions return Christmas Eve. A moderate risk for excessive rainfall remains in effect today for coastal South Carolina as rainfall rates could exceed 2" per hour. Some locations may receive as much as 7" before rain tapers off Tuesday morning. The Southeast will welcome a drier stretch of weather the second half of Christmas Eve and pleasant conditions on Christmas Day. In the Southwest, an upper level trough continues to generate areas of showers and mountain snow in the Southwest. Some showers will be heavy at times in parts of Southern California this morning with a few thunderstorms also possible. The threat for showers and thunderstorms will push east into Nevada and Arizona today, then into the Four Corners region on Christmas Eve. Higher elevations of the Southwest and Intermountain West can expect wintry conditions lasting into Christmas morning. Santa could give Rudolph's red nose a break across the eastern half of the U.S. Christmas Eve night as dry conditions will be common for most eastern regions. In fact, tranquil weather conditions through Christmas Day will make for a nice stocking stuffer from Mother Nature for those traveling through the holiday. High temperatures in parts of the nation's mid-section will soar into the 60s while parts of the southern Plains reach the 70s both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Temperature anomalies will on average range between 10-15 degrees above normal from the Great Plains to the Northeast through mid-week. Mullinax Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php