Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 337 PM EDT Wed Oct 28 2020 Valid 00Z Thu Oct 29 2020 - 00Z Sat Oct 31 2020 ...Hurricane Zeta continues to intensify and is expected to make landfall over southeastern Louisiana this evening... ...Widespread heavy rain and scattered flash flooding is possible from the Mid-Mississippi Valley to northern Mid-Atlantic during the next couple of days... ...Moderate snow possible across the Texas Panhandle tonight... A very impactful weather pattern continues to unfold from the central U.S. to the Mid-Atlantic over the next couple of days as an energetic cold upper-level low associated with a winter storm interacts with Hurricane Zeta. The cold upper low will deliver an additional 3 to 6 inches of snowfall across the Texas Panhandle this evening and tonight before ending as mostly rain early Thursday morning. Meanwhile, Hurricane Zeta is continuing to strengthen over the northern Gulf of Mexico while racing toward the southeastern Louisiana coastline. Zeta is expected to make landfall sometime early this evening and quickly move inland toward the southern Appalachians by Thursday morning. Strong southerly flow aloft ahead of the upper low will transport tropical moisture northward from the Gulf and interact with a stalled front extending across the Deep South and the Appalachians. This will result in heavy rain to quickly expand eastward from the Mid-Mississippi Valley and the southern Appalachians tonight; followed by the Ohio Valley, the central Appalachians, and much of the northern Mid-Atlantic states on Thursday. The most dangerous weather conditions will be near and along the track of Hurricane Zeta. Winds and rain are already increasing across southeast Louisiana, with hurricane conditions and storm surge arriving later this evening and overnight. Potentially damaging wind gusts could extend well inland near the track of Zeta as it accelerates across the interior southeast U.S., the Appalachians, and then across the Mid-Atlantic between tonight and Thursday. For this reason, Tropical Storm Warnings extend from southern Mississippi to western North Carolina. Additionally, 2 to 4 inches of rain with isolated amounts of 6 inches can be expected from the central Gulf Coast to the Mid-Mississippi and Ohio valleys, and east into the Mid-Atlantic states. These rainfall amounts are expected to lead to scattered instances of flash flooding. Given the time of year, many drainage systems could be blocked by leaves and debris; therefore, it is encouraged that residents clean around these areas if possible before heavy rain arrives. By Thursday night into early Friday, the core of Zeta should be embedded within a larger low pressure complex while weakening quite a bit and losing tropical characteristics as it tracks into the Mid-Atlantic. However, winds associated with Zeta could still pack quite a punch along with heavy downpours. The entire storm system will be in the process of exiting the East Coast early on Friday. Some wintry precipitation can be expected over interior New England as the northern edge of the storm system brushes across the colder air in place. Relatively tranquil and cold weather is expected for the northern U.S. while warmer than normal weather builds throughout much of the West. Over the Southwest, Santa Ana winds continue to subside as the pressure gradient weakens further. However, the fire risk remains at an elevated level for parts of southern California and the southern Great Basin this evening. Snell Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php