Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 258 AM EST Tue Feb 27 2024 Valid 12Z Tue Feb 27 2024 - 12Z Thu Feb 29 2024 ...Heavy snow returns over parts of the Cascades, the Northern Intermountain Region, and Northern Rockies on Wednesday... ...Heavy snow over parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley and moderate to heavy snow over the Cascades to Central Rockies on Tuesday... ...Light to moderate snow over the Great Lakes, Central Appalachians, and Northeast on Wednesday... ...There is a Slight Risk of severe thunderstorms over parts of the Ohio Valley/Great Lakes on Tuesday... A strong winter storm and cold front will continue to progress through the West, reaching the Central Rockies on Tuesday. Furthermore, the storm will create near-blizzard conditions, resulting in dangerous travel. Snowfall rates of 1-2 inches per hour will move into the Great Basin and Central Rockies on Tuesday. These snow rates combined with winds gusting 50-65 mph will produce near-blizzard conditions with significantly reduced visibility and snow-covered roads leading to dangerous travel. Further, significant snow accumulations will occur across the Colorado Rockies southward into the San Juans and Sangre de Cristos; there is a high chance (greater than 70%) of more than 8 inches of snow in the higher elevations. In addition, widespread snow squalls are expected to develop along the path of the cold front from Utah to Wyoming and Colorado on Tuesday. Where snow squalls occur, intense snow rates will produce rapid drops in visibility and icing on roadways, resulting in dangerous travel. In addition, much colder air will move in behind the strong cold front. Temperatures will fall into the teens and single digits Tuesday morning throughout the Intermountain West. Another powerful storm will move over the West, producing a significant winter storm over the Pacific Northwest late Wednesday into Thursday, as heavy snow returns to the Northern Cascades and Northern Intermountain Region. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, a front extending from the Upper Great Lakes to the Central Rockies will create heavy snow over parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley and moderate to heavy snow over the Upper Great Lakes. Ahead of the front, southerly wind will bring warm temperatures of 15 to 30 degrees above average to the Southern Plains to the Great Lakes. The warm and dry conditions with gusty winds across the Southern Plains have resulted in an Elevated Risk of Fire Weather (level 1/3) from the Storm Prediction Center on Tuesday. Additionally, moisture from the Western Gulf of Mexico will stream northward over the Southern Plains, Middle/Lower Mississippi Valley, and Ohio Valley. The moisture will aid in creating showers and severe thunderstorms over parts of the Ohio Valley. Therefore, the SPC has issued a Slight Risk (level 2/5) of severe thunderstorms over parts of the Ohio Valley, Middle Mississippi Valley, and Great Lakes through Wednesday morning. The hazards associated with these thunderstorms are frequent lightning, severe thunderstorm wind gusts, hail, and a few tornadoes. Further, there is an increased threat of hail two inches or greater over parts of southwestern Michigan, most of Illinois and Indiana, plus southeastern Missouri. Moreover, as the robust front moves across the Great Lakes to the East Coast, moderate to heavy snow will develop over the Great Lakes into the Northeast, with light to moderate snow over the Central Appalachians on Wednesday into Thursday morning. Ahead of the snow, showers and thunderstorms will develop over parts of the Northeast. The boundary will also create showers and thunderstorms over parts of the Eastern Ohio Valley, Central Appalachians, into the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Elsewhere, upper-level energy moving into the Southwest and Southern Rockies will produce scattered showers and thunderstorms from Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning. Ziegenfelder Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php