Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 259 PM EST Thu Nov 05 2020 Valid 00Z Fri Nov 06 2020 - 00Z Sun Nov 08 2020 ...Record or near record warmth continues for portions of the Desert Southwest as well as the Plains into the Upper Midwest... ...Major pattern change for the western U.S. begins to unfold Friday ahead of a strong Pacific storm... ...Increasing wind and chances for rainfall across southern Florida into the weekend... High pressure across much of the eastern two-thirds of the nation has kept a mostly quiet weather pattern in place over the past couple of days. Temperatures have been above average for most of the country with little in the way of precipitation. This will begin to change tomorrow, however, as a strong upper level trough over the eastern Pacific and associated cold front reaches the West Coast. High temperatures on Friday across Oregon and California will generally be in the 50s and 60s, or about 10 to 15 degrees below average. Colder weather will continue to move in for Saturday with high temperature departures falling into the -10 to -20 degree range from the West Coast into portions of the Great Basin. Rain early on Friday will begin to change to a rain/snow mix and eventually all snow for mountain and interior locations. Out ahead of the Pacific storm system, record or near record high temperatures will be found on Friday from southern Nevada into southeastern California and southern Arizona, as well as portions of the central/northern Plains and Upper Midwest. In fact, high temperatures across Nebraska and the Dakotas into the Upper Mississippi Valley will continue to run about 20 to 40 degrees above average through Saturday. While not as dramatic, the unseasonable warmth will also be found across portions of the Ohio Valley and Northeast on Friday and Saturday with no precipitation to speak of. Across Florida, moisture will be slowly returning northward into the weekend while low level easterly to southeasterly winds support showers and unsettled weather. The greatest chances for heavy rain will remain confined to southern Florida. The relatively strong pressure gradient between high pressure over the East Coast and advancing low pressure south of Cuba in association with Tropical Cyclone Eta, will translate into windy conditions and increased rip currents along the eastern Florida Peninsula beaches. Winds of 10 to 20 mph with gusts over 30 mph are expected Friday and Saturday. Otto Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php