Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
227 AM EST Wed Jan 05 2022

Valid 12Z Wed Jan 05 2022 - 12Z Fri Jan 07 2022

...A Slight Risk of heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding is in effect
for parts of the coastal Pacific Northwest on Thursday...

...More heavy mountain snow in store from the Pacific Northwest spreading
into the Northern/Central Rockies and Front Range...

...A low pressure system to continue producing blizzard conditions across
portions of the Northern Plains/Upper Midwest this morning and heavy snow
for the Great Lakes over the next couple of days...

...Cold air spills down into Great Plains and Midwest through Thursday...

...Another winter storm possible from the Tennessee Valley to the
Northeast beginning Thursday...

An active weather pattern will continue to direct moisture from the
Pacific toward the northwestern portion of the country over the next
couple of days as arctic air from western Canada filters into the Pacific
Northwest and Northern/Central Rockies. This cold airmass will convert the
Pacific moisture heavy snow for the Cascades and Northern/Central Rockies
over the next couple of days. Between 1-3 feet of snow is expected with
isolated amounts over 4 feet possible by Friday morning. Snow will also
spread into the Front Range of Wyoming and northwestern Nebraska today
where 8-12 inches of snow is likely. A Slight Risk of heavy rainfall
leading to flash flooding is in effect on Thursday for parts of the
southwest Washington and northwest Oregon where several inches of rain may
cause hazardous conditions. A low pressure system will arrive over the
Pacific Northwest on Friday, bringing with it another round of mountain
snow and low elevation rainfall.

At the same time, a low pressure system currently intensifying over the
northern Plains will bring a quick round of snow and strong winds from the
northern Plains to the upper Midwest through this morning followed by some
lake-enhanced snowfall across the Great Lakes Wednesday into Thursday.
Blizzard like conditions are expected to continue for parts of western
North Dakota and northeastern South Dakota into west Minnesota this
morning. Arctic air will then surge farther south and east toward the
southern Plains over the next couple of days behind the associated cold
front. Frigid air with sub-zero daytime temperatures will engulf the
northern Plains for the next couple of days while much below normal
temperatures spread farther south into the Plains and Midwest.

By Thursday, a wave of low pressure is forecast to develop along the
arctic front over the Deep South. This low pressure wave is forecast to
develop further as it tracks toward the northeast. This will bring an
increasing threat of a winter storm from the Tennessee Valley and areas
farther northeast on Thursday. The heaviest snow may fall over parts of
the Central Appalachians while ice may impact much of Tennessee and
northern Mississippi/Alabama.

Kebede/Kong


Graphics are available at
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php