Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 310 PM EST Fri Mar 05 2021 Valid 00Z Sat Mar 06 2021 - 00Z Mon Mar 08 2021 ...Rain and mountain snow in the West Coast through this weekend... ...Elevated fire weather conditions over portions of the High Plains Saturday... ...Lake effect snow downwind from the Lower Great Lakes on Friday night into Sunday... Wet conditions will prevail along the West Coast through this weekend as a frontal system just off the coast begins to move inland by tonight, and then into the Intermountain West by Saturday morning. Additional moderate mountain snow will develop with the passage of the system, with 4-6 inches possible in portions of the Sierra Nevada and further north into the Shasta and Cascade ranges. Accordingly, Winter Storm Advisories are in effect for portions of Northern California. Otherwise, the soaking rain in lower elevations will provide some relief for drought stricken areas along the coast. After a brief reprieve in the wake of this system another shot of rain and mountain snow is forecast to move into the Northwest as another frontal system enters on the heels of the first by Sunday Morning. As the aforementioned frontal boundary traverses the Rockies tomorrow morning, warm and breezy conditions will develop ahead of it, leading to an enhanced fire weather risk over portions of the High Plains through tomorrow. The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted an Elevated Risk of fire weather east of the Front Range in Colorado and further north into Wyoming, Nebraska, and South Dakota, with Fire Weather Watches in effect for those areas. Low pressure over the Southern Plains will slowly move southeastward to the Gulf of Mexico by Friday night. The system will produce rain and thunderstorms over parts of the Southern Plains that will move into the Central Gulf Coast by Saturday morning. There is a chance some of these storms may be severe; the Storm Prediction Center has issued a Marginal Risk of severe thunderstorms over portions of South Texas into Louisiana for severe wind and hail through tomorrow. As the system slowly migrates into the Gulf of Mexico, rain will linger over parts of the Southeast through Sunday. Meanwhile, a deep upper-level low over Southeastern Canada will steer upper-level energy over the Lower Great Lakes through Sunday. The cold air will flow over the Lower Great Lakes, producing lake effect snow downwind from Lake Erie and Ontario late Friday into Sunday morning, where 4-6 inches of snow is possible. In addition to lake effect snow, the Green Mountains and Adirondacks may pick up a quick 2-3 inches as the system swings through. Asherman/Ziegenfelder Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php