Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 300 AM EST Fri Jan 03 2020 Valid 12Z Fri Jan 03 2020 - 12Z Sun Jan 05 2020 ...Locally heavy rain and thunderstorms across the Central Gulf Coast to the Carolinas today... ...Light to moderate snow expected for portions of the Midwest to Northeast... ...Precipitation continues in the Pacific Northwest through the weekend with high winds possible in the Northwest... An upper-level trough over the central U.S. will move across the eastern U.S. over the next couple of days, along with a couple of fronts at the surface. Rain will spread across portions of the East today as ample moisture streams in ahead of these features. Locally heavy rainfall, isolated flash flooding, and a few strong thunderstorms are possible across portions of the Southeast in particular, and some rain will spread from the Lower Mississippi Valley northeastward into the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast. Temperatures will be mild today, with record maximum temperatures in the 70s and 80s possible today in Florida into the Georgia and Carolina coast. A clipper system will track across the Midwest today, bringing light to locally moderate snow to the Upper Mississippi Valley. As upper-level energy continues eastward, snow is expected to spread over the interior Northeast and higher elevations of the Central Appalachians on Saturday. Snow totals of 3 to 5 inches are currently forecast. Farther west, a strong frontal system is forecast to push through the Pacific Northwest Friday night and quickly southeastward across the Rockies and Great Basin Saturday. This will lead to increasing precipitation; higher elevation snow could be heavy in the Cascades and Coastal Range with snow in the Northern Rockies as well. Lower elevations should remain rain. High winds are also likely in the West with a potent upper-level system and the aforementioned front. High Wind Watches and Warnings and Wind Advisories are currently in place for portions of the Pacific Northwest and the Northern and Central High Plains. Tate Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php