Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 254 AM EST Wed Feb 24 2021 Valid 12Z Wed Feb 24 2021 - 12Z Fri Feb 26 2021 ...Relative quiet across lower 48 to proceed an active end of the week for the Deep South... ...A mild Wednesday in the East as colder temperatures return to the Rockies and Central/Southern Plains... ...Avalanche Warnings in the Northern Rockies... A low pressure system will glide across the Northeast today before departing into the Canadian Maritime on Thursday. As a result, a swath of light snow is expected to stretch from parts of the Upper Great lakes to the Northern Appalachians. The southern portion of this frontal system will eventually settle across the southern tier of the CONUS by Thursday. Areas of moderate snow may develop over parts of central Colorado Wednesday night as the tail end of the aforementioned frontal boundary descends through the area. An area of low pressure will develop along this stationary front and contribute to the potential for moderate rainfall and thunderstorms across an aerial swath extending from eastern Texas to northern Mississippi Thursday night into Friday. Meanwhile, another low pressure system will bring heavy snow to the mountains of the Northwest on Thursday and Friday. Parts of the Cascades (particularly northern portions) will see multiple feet of new snow, while the Northern Rockies will see up to a foot of snow with locally higher amounts possible, especially over the highest peaks. Avalanche Warnings are in effect for parts of the Northern Rockies (northern Idaho/Montana) where prolonged snowfall is especially likely. The eastern U.S. will experience a warm up today before the cold front sweeps through the region tomorrow. Highs maybe between 15-20 degrees above average for parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Tennessee Valley. Meanwhile, temperatures are expected to drop across the Rockies and the Central/Southern Plains as the tail end of the east coast system sweeps through Texas and the Southwest today. The arrival of high pressure over the Rockies on Thursday will contribute to the anomalously cold air mass that will settle over parts of eastern New Mexico, southeastern Colorado and the Texas Panhandle, where highs maybe between 20-30 degrees below average. Kebede Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php