Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 251 PM EST Fri Feb 23 2024 Valid 00Z Sat Feb 24 2024 - 00Z Mon Feb 26 2024 ...Precipitation chances pick up for the Pacific Northwest/Northern Rockies through the weekend... ...Chilly Saturday from the Ohio/Tennessee Valleys to the Northeast; light precipitation chances from the Great Lakes to the Carolinas... ...A mild, early Spring-like weekend for much of the central and western U.S. as temperatures soar as much as 15-25 degrees above average... After a dry Friday, increasing moisture and northwesterly flow over the Pacific Northwest/Northern Rockies will bring increasing precipiation chances Saturday. Some light to moderate higher elevation snow showers are forecast for the Olympics, northern Cascades, and portions of the Northern Rockies. More widespread, heavier precipitation will begin to pick up by late in the day Sunday ahead of an approaching stronger upper-level trough. Heavy snow will continue into early next week beyond the current forecast period for the Cascades and Northern Rockies, with Winter Storm Watches now in effect. Additionally, fast moving flow aloft as well as troughing along the High Plains will bring some gusty winds, particularly on Sunday. High wind-related watches and warnings have been issued for portions of the Northern Rockies/adjacent High Plains and southward into the Central High Plains for gusts as high as 65-70 mph. A pair of cold fronts pushing through the eastern U.S. today and overnight will bring some chillier temperatures from the Ohio/Tennessee Valleys to the Northeast on Saturday. Highs will be in the teens and 20s for the Interior Northeast/northern New England and the 30s and 40s from the Ohio/Tennessee Valleys east through the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England. While not quite as cold, temperatures will also be below average for the Southeast, with highs ranging from the 50s in the Carolinas to the 60s near the Gulf Coast and low 70s into Florida. Temperatures will rebound Sunday, particularly for the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys as highs reach into the 50s and 60s. A mix of light rain and snow shower will pass from the Great Lakes through the Ohio Valley overnight Friday and into the southern/central Appalachians and Carolinas during the day Saturday. Elsewhere, most of the central and western U.S. will be dry with mild, above average high temperatures. The greatest anomalies will be over the Plains Saturday, spreading into the Middle Mississippi Valley Sunday, where highs 15-25 degrees above average will feel more like early Spring than Winter. Forecast highs Saturday-Sunday will range from the 40s and 50s for the Northern Plains, 60s and 70s for the Central Plains, and 70s and 80s for the Southern Plains. Highs in the 60s and 70s will come to the Middle Mississippi Valley Sunday. Parts of western Texas may see highs into the mid- to upper 80s Sunday. While not quite as anomalous, the Upper Midwest/Great Lakes will also see highs above average, with 30s and 40s expected. The warmer weather this weekend will only be a preview of even more anomalous temperatures heading into next week. In the West, highs will range from the 40s and 50s for the Pacific Northwest/northern Great Basin, 50s and 60s for northern California and the central Great Basin, 60s and 70s for central/southern California, and 70s and 80s for the Desert Southwest. Putnam Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php