Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 313 AM EST Fri Nov 17 2023 Valid 12Z Fri Nov 17 2023 - 12Z Sun Nov 19 2023 ...Heavy rain over eastern to northern Florida Peninsula expected to taper off later today as main low pressure system moves out to sea... ...Unsettled weather expanding into the western U.S. through the weekend... ...A cold front will usher gusty winds and much colder temperatures from the northern Plains today and spreading into the eastern U.S. on Sunday... A coastal convergence zone set up on the back side of an exiting low pressure system has helped precipitating tropical moisture near an inverted trough across eastern to northern Florida last night into early this morning, resulting in exceptionally heavy rainfall. As the main low pressure center tracks farther out into the Atlantic to the north of the Bahamas today, the heavy rain threat is expected to diminish over the Florida Peninsula. The cold front that helps push this low pressure system out to sea is expected to bring a brief surge of much colder temperatures with gusty winds across the northern Plains and the Great Lakes today, before overspreading much of the eastern U.S. by Sunday. Scattered showers are expected to be ahead of and along the front across the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley today, before sliding from west to east across the Northeast on Saturday. Colder and drier air will reach into New England by Sunday morning with light snow possible over the interior sections. Meanwhile, more active weather will reach into the western U.S. through this weekend as a couple of more vigorous systems from the Pacific force their way into the West Coast. A deep low will first bring scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms to California today and then snow to the Sierra Nevada this weekend. The low will phase with a northern stream trough and expand rainfall coverage into the Pacific Northwest on Saturday. Snow levels will drop as cool air filters into the region, supporting heavy snow over the Cascades on Saturday and Sunday. By Sunday morning, high-elevation snow and valley rain are expected to overspread the Intermountain West, even into the central to southern Rockies, as a cold front pushes across the interior western U.S. Kong/Kebede Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php