Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 300 AM EST Thu Feb 27 2020 Valid 12Z Thu Feb 27 2020 - 12Z Sat Feb 29 2020 ...Heavy snow today across northern New England... ...Very heavy lake-effect snow event downwind from the Lower Great Lakes... ...Cold conditions expected to dominate the eastern half of the country in contrast with milder than normal conditions in the West... A low pressure complex is currently consolidating and intensifying over the northeastern U.S. Rain associated with the trailing cold front is moving off the East Coast into the Atlantic. However, much of New England will remain under the influence of the strong low pressure system for the next couple of days. Moderate to heavy rain is expected to overspread central New England this morning as the storm center approaches. In addition, as the storm intensifies further, winds will become very gusty, especially when cold air rushes in from the back side of the system after the storm center has passed by. Northern Maine should see all snow through tonight, accumulating to over a foot in parts of the area before gradually tapering off on Friday. Over upstate/western New York, a major lake-effect snow event is expected to begin today once the storm center passes east of the area as cold and blustery westerly winds blow across the still warm lake waters. Over two feet of snow is possible downwind of Lake Ontario through Friday morning. Blizzard warnings are in effect over parts of western New York state downwind from Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The snow should become less intense by Friday as the storm edges slowly further away into Canada. Over the northern Rockies to the northern High Plains, a clipper low pressure system will bring a quick round of rain or mixed precipitation across the central Plains through today, reaching the central and southern Appalachians on Friday in the form of wet snow, which may linger into Saturday morning. Meanwhile, moisture from the next Pacific system is forecast to reach the Pacific Northwest later on Friday, and could reach the Intermountain West as snow and snow showers by Friday night. Temperatures will mainly be colder than average for the eastern half of the country in contrast with warmer than average readings for the western half through Saturday morning. Kong Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php