Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 345 PM EST Sat Feb 17 2024 Valid 00Z Sun Feb 18 2024 - 00Z Tue Feb 20 2024 ...Additional heavy to excessive rainfall could lead to flash flooding across much of coastal California... ...Heavy rainfall likely over much of the Florida Peninsula for the remainder of the weekend... ...Colder than normal conditions across the eastern and southern U.S. will be followed by a warming trend across the mid-section of the country... The West Coast will once again be the focus of inclement weather over the next couple of days as more energetic low pressure systems from the Pacific line up to push onshore. The first system of concern has already brought widespread moderate to locally heavy rain for the coastal Pacific Northwest and down into the northern half of California today (Saturday). The moisture will advance farther inland to bring a period of mountain snow across the interior sections of the northwestern U.S. and northern Rockies through Sunday. A more potent low pressure system will quickly follow in its wake to deliver the next round of heavy precipitation, this time mainly across California starting Sunday night/early Monday. WPC has a Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall covering a good portion of northern California and central coastal California into Sunday and Monday, with a Moderate Risk in effect for the Santa Barbara to Santa Maria region for the same time period. Very heavy snowfall will then impact the Sierra Nevada on Monday where a few feet of new snow can be expected. Elevation-dependent rain/snow will then spread northeastward into the Great Basin on Monday. After a quick round of locally heavy snow Saturday morning, the Mid-Atlantic states will clear out behind a departing low pressure system. Colder than normal conditions initially blanketing much of the eastern and southern U.S. will be followed by a warming trend across the mid-section of the country--emerging first over the northern Plains then gradually spreading south to reach Texas by Monday. Meanwhile, lake-effect snows downwind from the Great Lakes will gradually taper off by Sunday. Farther north, a clipper system sliding across southern Canada will only bring light snow across the upper Midwest and upper Great Lakes on Sunday, before brushing the lower Great Lakes and northern New England on Monday. Meanwhile, rain and thunderstorms associated with a slow-moving front are forecast to expand across the Florida Peninsula through tonight. By Sunday, a low pressure center developing along the front over the Gulf of Mexico will traverse the Florida Peninsula later that night before moving out into the Atlantic on Monday. Generally a couple of inches of rain, with locally higher amounts, can be expected with this system. Kong Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php