Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 259 AM EST Mon Mar 08 2021 Valid 12Z Mon Mar 08 2021 - 12Z Wed Mar 10 2021 ...Rain and higher elevation snow for the Northwest and California, while light snow develops over parts of the Great Basin and Northern/Central Rockies through Wednesday... ...Temperatures will be 15 to 25 degrees above average over parts of the Upper Midwest on Monday into Tuesday... ...Favorable fire weather conditions in parts of the Central/Southern High Plains and Southwest... A deepening upper-level trough will move onshore over the West Coast, with embedded areas of upper-level energy moving across the area through Wednesday. The energy will produce coastal rain and higher elevation snow over parts of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California starting during the late morning on Monday. The rain and snow expand northward and southward over the West Coast, and snow will expand inland to the Northern Rockies by late Monday afternoon. By noon on Tuesday, rain and snow will move into parts of the Northern High Plains/Northern Plains. As additional upper-level energy moves onshore overnight Tuesday, coastal rain and higher elevation snow will increase slightly over the West. Meanwhile, the associated front will extend from the Upper Mississippi Valley to the Great Basin on Tuesday evening. The boundary will be the focus for light rain to develop over parts of the Upper Midwest overnight Tuesday into Wednesday. Ahead of the front, upper-level ridging will allow the temperatures to be 15 to 25 degrees above average over parts of the Upper Midwest on Monday into Tuesday. The Southwest and Central/Southern High Plains are caught between the upper-trough along the West Coast and ridging over the eastern U.S., prompting brisk southerly flow to develop. Combined with low humidity levels, fire weather is likely to be a daily concern in these areas. An Elevated Risk from the SPC Fire Weather Outlook is in place over eastern Kansas. Additional Elevated Risk areas were issued on Monday for southeast Arizona, southwest New Mexico, and the Central/Southern High Plains. Look for the fire weather threat to linger into Tuesday across portions of the Central/Southern High Plains. Ziegenfelder Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php