Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 300 AM EST Mon Nov 16 2020 Valid 12Z Mon Nov 16 2020 - 12Z Wed Nov 18 2020 ...Unsettled weather continues over the Northwest... ...Light to moderate late effect snow is likely downwind of the Great Lakes... Over the Northwest, precipitation is expected to continue today, especially over Washington as a moisture plume takes aim at the state. Additional snow totals are forecast to be over 6 inches for higher elevations of the Cascades, while lower elevations should see rain. This evening and tonight, a brief break in precipitation is likely ahead of an approaching upper-level trough and cold front that will move eastward on Tuesday and spread more precipitation to the region. The Pacific Northwest, the northern half of California, and the Great Basin to Northern Rockies can all expect increasing precipitation chances and eventually lowering snow levels behind the cold front by Wednesday. The Sierra Nevada has Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Watches in place for snow potential. High Wind Warnings and Wind Advisories are also scattered throughout the West. On the other side of the CONUS, lake effect showers are forecast downwind of the Great Lakes through Tuesday given a favorable upper-level pattern and a cold front passing through tonight. Favored areas east of Lakes Ontario and Erie will likely see at least a few inches of snow. Light snow is also possible for the Central Appalachians, while the northern Mid-Atlantic and Northeast may see non-accumulating snow on Tuesday. Most other areas of the U.S. should remain dry for the next couple days, with the exception of rain showers over the Florida peninsula as a cold front slowly traverses the state. An upper-level ridge is expected to build in the western and central U.S. ahead of the trough incoming toward the Northwest, underneath which temperatures should warm to above normal by 10 to 20 degrees for much of the West toward the Plains. A handful of record highs could occur in the Southwest and California over the next couple of days as temperatures rise into the upper 80s. Additionally, an Elevated Risk of fire danger is in place across portions of southern California given the warm and dry conditions. Meanwhile in the East, temperatures are expected to cool through midweek behind a cold frontal passage. Tate Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php