Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 343 PM EST Tue Jan 14 2020 Valid 00Z Wed Jan 15 2020 - 00Z Fri Jan 17 2020 ...Heavy snow to continue across the Cascades and begin over the Sierra... ...A Winter storm to impact an area extending from the Northern Plains to the Northeast... ...There is a Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall over parts of the Lower Mississippi Valley and Southern Appalachians... ...Above normal temperatures continue for the eastern U.S. while bitter cold stretches across the Northern Rockies/Plains and into the Upper Midwest... The active pattern over the Pacific Northwest will continue through the short range as yet another potent low pressure system approaches. A stationary boundary draped across the region will continue to produce heavy snow for the Cascades. 1-2 feet are probable with isolated amounts higher than 2 feet possible through Wednesday. The low pressure system will arrive Wednesday evening just as the Upper level low deepens. This combination will produce up to another foot over parts of the Pacific Northwest mountains while the associated cold front will dump up to 2 feet across parts of the Sierra on Thursday. Meanwhile, another upper level trough out ahead of the Pacific one will spawn a new low pressure system over the lee side of the Rockies tonight. This low will go on to produce snow, rain and freezing rain for much of the Upper Mississippi Valley/Great Lakes and Midwest, up through the Northeast on Wednesday and Thursday. 2-4 inches of snow is likely for the Upper Mississippi Valley/Great Lakes with an isolated area of 6 inches possible for a portion of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan Wednesday. Snow will ramp up over northern New England as the low strengthens on it's way out to sea Thursday night. 6-8 inches of snow are expected for much of this area. A Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall leading to flash flooding is in effect for parts of the Lower Mississippi Valley and Southern Appalachians due to the presence of a stationary boundary oriented diagonally across the Southeast. Isolated areas of over an inch possible for these areas. Above normal temperatures will continue over Northern Montana, but the coldest of the temps will retreat back to the Canadian border on Wednesday. Nonetheless, air temperatures will be between 20-40 degrees below normal over the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest through Thursday. Conversely, temperatures will be between 20-30 degrees above normal on Wednesday across the Midwest down into the Southeast with warmest anomalous temps occurring over the Ohio/Tennessee Valleys. Temperatures will begin to moderate on Thursday. Kebede Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php