Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 143 AM EST Tue Jan 12 2021 Valid 12Z Tue Jan 12 2021 - 12Z Thu Jan 14 2021 ...Heavy rain/snow to impact portions of the Northwest over the next couple of days... ...Warm air expands over northern tier of the country... An atmospheric river event will impact the Northwest through Wednesday as a slow moving low pressure system draws and pours substantial Pacific moisture over parts of the region. Slight to Moderate Risks of Excessive Rainfall leading to Flash Flooding are in effect for coastal and interior portions of the Northwest through tonight. Multiple inches of rain are likely for northwestern California, coastal and interior Oregon as well as coastal Washington today. Heavy snow is also a continuing concern for the northern Cascades and Northern Rockies through Wednesday, where additional snowfall exceeding a foot is likely. The associated upper-level trough will amplify as it traverses the Northern Rockies on Wednesday, leading to the development of a deep mid-latitude cyclone over Manitoba, the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest later in the week. High wind watches and warnings are in effect for much of Montana and the Front Range over the next couple of days as the potent Pacific system crosses the region. Ridging over the Great Plains will lead to anomalously warm temperatures through Wednesday. Temperatures may reach up to 30 degrees above average over parts of the Northern/Central Plains, with some isolated spots seeing temperatures even warmer than that. This won't be particularly dangerous given that highs will likely be in the 50s and 60s and lows in the 20s and 30s, but some high and low temperature records may be broken, nonetheless. Kebede Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php