Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 256 PM EST Wed Feb 02 2022 Valid 00Z Thu Feb 03 2022 - 00Z Sat Feb 05 2022 ...An ongoing significant winter storm is expected to impact much of the central U.S. through Friday evening... ...There is a Slight Risk of excessive rainfall over parts of the Central Gulf Coast, Tennessee Valley, and Southeast from Thursday into Friday morning... ...Temperatures will be 20 to 40 degrees below average over parts of the Plains and Mississippi Valley; Temperatures will be 10 to 25 degrees above average along the East Coast... A strong cold front extending from the Lower Great Lakes to the Southern Plains will move eastward off most of the East Coast by Friday evening. The front is producing a broad prolonged significant winter weather that impacts much of the central U.S. and moves into parts of the Northeast overnight Wednesday, 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 Friday for portions of the central U.S. before shifting to the interior Northeast. Heavy snow will develop over the Southern Rockies and from the Southern/Central Plains and the Middle Mississippi Valley through the Great Lakes/Ohio Valley and Interior Northeast. In addition, a corridor of heavy ice (rain/freezing rain) accumulation is likely from Texas through the Ohio River Valley, especially from eastern Arkansas northeastward to western Kentucky. The heavy ice (rain/freezing rain) accumulation would likely result in power outages, tree damage, and dangerous travel conditions. Therefore, Winter Storm Watches and Warnings are in effect for much of the areas 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 and Mississippi Valley will be between 20-40 degrees below average during this period. Therefore, the public is encouraged to plan now for prolonged hazardous winter weather conditions and disrupted travel. In contrast, temperatures will be 10 to 25 degrees above average along the East Coast from Wednesday into Thursday ahead of the front. Additionally, moderate to heavy rain will develop within the warm sector of this dynamic system, i.e., from the Southern Plains to the Northeast. Therefore, the WPC has issued a Slight Risk of excessive rainfall over parts of the Central Gulf Coast, Tennessee Valley, and Southeast from Thursday into Friday morning. The heavy rain will create mainly localized areas of flash flooding, with urban areas, roads, and small streams the most vulnerable. Moreover, scattered to isolated thunderstorms may develop across the Central Gulf Coast on Wednesday night. 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 Friday. On Thursday morning, a fast-moving front will move southeastward out of Western Canada, moving to the Upper Mississippi Valley/Upper Great Lakes on Friday. The system will produce light snow over parts of the Northern Plains/Upper Mississippi Valley late Thursday night into the Upper Great Lakes on Friday. Ziegenfelder/Kebede Graphics are available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php