Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 257 PM EST Tue Dec 08 2020 Valid 00Z Wed Dec 09 2020 - 00Z Fri Dec 11 2020 ..Lake Effect snow for the Lower Great Lakes... ...Rain and higher elevation snow for parts of the Pacific Northwest... ...Critical risk of fire weather in Southern California, Air Stagnation Advisories continue in the North Intermountain Region... Upper-level energy and cold air flowing over the relatively warm Great Lakes will aid in producing Lake Effect snow over the Lower Great Lakes through Thursday. The snow will aid in creating hazardous driving conditions over the region. Meanwhile, a front moving into the Pacific Northwest will move inland to the Upper Mississippi Valley/Central Plains by Thursday. Moisture associated with the boundary will help produce rain and higher elevation over parts of the Pacific Northwest and snow over parts of the Northern Intermountain Region through late Wednesday night. The snow will aid in producing unsafe driving conditions over the area. Next, an upper-level low will move into Northwestern Mexico/Southwestern U. S. overnight Wednesday that will weaken while moving to the Southern Rockies by Thursday. The energy will produce rain over parts of the Southwest into the Southern Rockies on Thursday. Furthermore, upper-level energy and associated moisture will help create rain over parts of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California on Thursday evening. In addition, moderate to strong Santa Ana winds are forecast to be ongoing across Southern California. The strong wind will be due in part to the strong surface pressure gradient associated with the Great Basin's high pressure. On Wednesday, the widespread elevated and locally critical fire weather conditions from remnant offshore winds will become increasingly local through the day as low-level flow and the offshore pressure gradient weakens. Due to these conditions, Red Flag Warnings have been issued across parts of Southern California. Ziegenfelder Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php