Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 259 AM EST Thu Nov 19 2020 Valid 12Z Thu Nov 19 2020 - 12Z Sat Nov 21 2020 ...Additional precipitation is expected for the Northwest today... ...Warmer than normal temperatures in the central U.S. will spread to the eastern U.S. for the end of the week... ...Gusty winds and elevated fire danger are forecast for parts of the Plains to Ohio Valley... Another day of notable precipitation is expected for the Northwest before a strengthening surface high helps cause drier conditions for the end of the week (though light showers may continue for western Washington). Additional snowfall amounts in higher elevations of the Cascades in Washington could be 6 to over 12 inches, while the Northern Rockies could see over 6 inches of snow as well. Lower elevations of the Pacific Northwest will see light to moderate rain. Regarding precipitation elsewhere, light rain showers are forecast to persist over the east coast of Florida for the next couple of days. A quick round of mixed precipitation is possible for the north-central U.S. today into tonight, and there are Winter Weather Advisories in effect for northeastern Montana and parts of North Dakota. Then, light snow is expected to begin in the Central Rockies Friday evening and spread into central portions of the High Plains Friday night behind a frontal system. Light rain is forecast farther east for portions of the Plains to the Middle Mississippi and Ohio Valleys, with increasing rain totals in those areas on Saturday. Another warm day is expected today for the central U.S., as southerly/southwesterly winds come in ahead of a front and on the backside of a surface high. High temperature anomalies will be 15 to 25 degrees above average today for portions of the Plains toward Missouri/Iowa. A handful of daily record high maximum and minimum temperatures could be broken today from the Southwest into the Plains. After a cold morning in the East and potentially a first freeze for the eastern Carolinas, moderating high temperatures are forecast today, transitioning to warmer than normal by Friday--quite a temperature swing given the chilly temperatures on Wednesday. The aforementioned southwesterly winds could be pretty blustery today, prompting Wind Advisories for portions of the Plains, Middle Mississippi Valley, and into the Ohio Valley. Given the warm and dry conditions with low relative humidities, fire danger is also a threat. The Storm Prediction Center has Elevated Risks of fire weather in place for parts of the High Plains and the Mississippi/Ohio Valleys. Tate Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php