Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
315 PM EST Tue Feb 01 2022

Valid 00Z Wed Feb 02 2022 - 00Z Fri Feb 04 2022

...A significant winter storm is expected to impact much of the central
U.S. beginning Tuesday night and continue through Thursday morning...

...Temperatures will be 10 to 25 degrees below average over the Northern
Plains/High Plains...

A strong cold front extending from the Great Lakes to the Southern High
Plains will move eastward to the Northeast Coast to the Central Gulf Coast
by Thursday evening. The front will produce significant winter weather
that is expected to impact much of the central U.S. beginning Tuesday
night, bringing a variety of winter weather hazards, including heavy snow,
sleet, and freezing rain. The system will be prolonged with several rounds
of winter weather lasting through Thursday for portions of the central
U.S. before shifting to the interior Northeast. Heavy snow is expected
over the Southern Rockies and from the Southern/Central Plains and the
Middle Mississippi Valley through the Great Lakes/Ohio Valley and Interior
Northeast. A corridor of heavy ice (rain/freezing rain) accumulation is
likely from Texas through the Ohio River Valley. Winter Storm Watches and
Warnings are in effect for much of the areas to be affected by heavy snow
and ice. In addition, the combination of snow and ice may cause hazardous
road conditions.

Locations impacted by snow and or ice are expected to have temperatures
remain below freezing and well below average for at least a couple of days
after the wintry precipitation ends. The cold temperatures will be due to
the emergence of arctic high pressure in the front's wake, which will
descend over the Plains on Wednesday. This high pressure will send very
frigid air down the Plains between Wednesday and Friday. As a result, high
temperatures for many places across the Plains will be between 15-25
degrees below average during this period. Therefore, the public is
encouraged to plan now for prolonged hazardous winter weather conditions
and disrupted travel.

Additionally, moderate to heavy rainfall may develop within the warm
sector of this dynamic system, i.e., from the Southern Plains to the
Northeast. On Wednesday night, scattered to isolated thunderstorms may
develop across the Central Gulf Coast. Furthermore, upper-level energy and
weak onshore flow will aid in producing coastal rain and higher elevation
snow over the Pacific Northwest and light snow over the Northern
Intermountain Region into the Northern/Central Rockies through Thursday
with a brief break on late Wednesday morning into late afternoon.

Ziegenfelder/Kebede

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