Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 300 PM EST Wed Nov 04 2020 Valid 00Z Thu Nov 05 2020 - 00Z Sat Nov 07 2020 ...Pleasant autumn weather continues across much of the central and eastern U.S. as a winter storm develops over the interior western U.S. later on Friday... ...Record or near-record warmth continues for the Desert Southwest, northern Rockies and the northern Plains... ...Chances of rain increasing across southern Florida as Eta re-emerges into the western Caribbean Sea... An unusually expansive ridge of high pressure continues to deliver fine autumn weather across a large portion of the country, with above normal temperatures extending just about from coast to coast. In fact, the warmth across the Desert Southwest, northern Rockies and the northern Plains will continue to be near or above record levels for the next couple of days. Meanwhile, near and slightly above normal temperatures across eastern U.S. into the Deep South will make for very pleasant autumn weather. However, a major change in the upper-level pattern is in store for the western U.S. as a low pressure system is forecast to develop across the interior sections on Friday. The cold air associated with the upper trough is expected to change rain to wintry precipitation especially for the mountainous terrain on Friday from the Sierra Nevada to interior Oregon and parts of Nevada behind an active cold front. Meanwhile, a surge of cold air from Canada will bring wintry precipitation into northwestern Montana. Over the northern and central High Plains, dry and blustery conditions will raise the fire risk across the area into Thursday. Return Atlantic moisture north of the stationary front will lift northward by late Thursday/Friday to produce some scattered showers across coastal Carolinas to South Florida, with the potential for heavy rainfall thunderstorms across South Florida on Friday morning. Kong/Gallina Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php