Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 259 AM EST Tue Nov 17 2020 Valid 12Z Tue Nov 17 2020 - 12Z Thu Nov 19 2020 ...Unsettled weather continues over the Northwest... ...Light to moderate lake effect snow is likely downwind of the Lower Great Lakes... An active weather pattern over the northeastern Pacific and northwestern U.S. will keep those areas unsettled over the next couple of days. Precipitation is likely for the Pacific Northwest, California, the Great Basin, and the Northern Rockies through Thursday. As a moisture plume moves in today, moderate to locally heavy rain is expected over parts of the Pacific Northwest into the northern half of California, and isolated instances of flooding cannot be ruled out. The highest elevations should see snow. Then snow levels should lower on Wednesday behind a cold front passing through tonight. Snow amounts through Thursday morning are likely to be over a foot for the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, and Northern Rockies. Winter Storm Warnings are in place for northern portions of the Sierra. Additionally, strong gusty winds are a threat for portions of the West Coast states into Nevada, where Wind Advisories and High Wind Warnings are in effect. On the other side of the CONUS, lake effect showers are forecast downwind of the Great Lakes today as a colder and more unstable air mass moves over the warm lake waters. While light snow should end downwind of the Upper Great Lakes today (on the U.S. side), favored areas southeast of Lakes Ontario and Erie will likely see at least a few inches of snow. Light snow is also forecast along the western slopes of the Central Appalachians, with a dusting possible over some areas of the interior Northeast as well. Most other areas of the U.S. should remain dry for the next couple days. However, light rain showers could persist over southern Florida today as a cold front passes through. An upper-level ridge is expected to build across the western and central U.S. ahead of the upper-level disturbances affecting the Northwest. Underneath the ridge, temperatures of 10 to 30 degrees above normal are forecast for the interior West toward the Plains, with the highest anomalies in northern and central parts of the Plains Wednesday. Some daily record highs could occur with this warmth. Additionally, fire danger will be elevated across the Southern High Plains today given the warm and dry conditions. Meanwhile in the East, temperatures will cool down to 10 to 20 degrees below normal through midweek behind a cold front. Much of the Northeast can expect chilly highs in the 30s on Wednesday, with 20s for highs in Maine. Tate Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php