Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 302 PM EST Wed Dec 18 2024 Valid 00Z Thu Dec 19 2024 - 00Z Sat Dec 21 2024 ...Heavy snow over the Northern Plains, Upper Mississippi Valley, and Upper Great Lakes; Patchy rain/freezing rain over parts of the Northern Plains and Central Appalachians overnight Wednesday... ...Light to moderate snow over parts of the Northeast on Wednesday night into Friday; Light snow over parts of the Central Appalachians on Friday... ...There is an Elevated Risk of fire weather over parts of Southern California due to Santa Ana Wind... A front extending from the Mid-Atlantic to the Central Gulf Coast will move eastward off most of the Eastern Seaboard while the part of the boundary lingers over Florida through Friday morning. The system will produce showers and thunderstorms over parts of the Central Gulf Coast/Tennessee Valley to the southern Mid-Atlantic and Southeast through Thursday morning. Likewise, the storm will produce rain over parts of the Central Appalachians/Northern Mid-Atlantic into coastal New England also through Thursday morning. In addition, the system will produce light to moderate snow over the Northeast that will taper off the lake-effect snow and end by Thursday afternoon. With light snow extending into parts of the Central Appalachians, along the rain-snow line, patchy areas of light rain/freezing rain will develop overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning. On Wednesday evening, a second front over the Northern High Plains will move south and eastward to the Mid-Atlantic/Southeast and the Gulf Coast States by Friday evening. The storm will produce rain and snow over the parts of the Northern Rockies into parts of the Northern High Plains. Patchy areas of light rain/freezing rain will develop along the rain-snow line over parts of the Northern High Plains/Northern Plains overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning. Moreover, heavy snow will develop over parts of the Northern Plains/Upper Mississippi Valley and Upper Great Lakes overnight Wednesday into Thursday. As the associated area of low-pressure moves across the Great Lakes/Ohio Valley, light to moderate snow will develop over the areas through Friday. Additionally, on Friday, a northeast wind will create moderate to heavy lake-enhanced snow over parts of the northeastern coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Moreover, light snow will move into parts of the Northeast and Central Appalachians. Rain will also return to parts of the Mid-Atlantic. Meanwhile, strong high pressure over the Great Basin and a weakness in low pressure off the Southern California coast will create a strong Santa Ana Wind. Low relative humidity, dry fuels, and strong gusty wind have prompted an Elevated Risk of fire weather over parts of Southern California. Moreover, a front over the Eastern Pacific will move eastward towards the Northwest Coast. However, the boundary will dissipate by Thursday afternoon. Light rain will develop over parts of the Northwest Coast on Thursday. Another boundary will approach the Pacific Northwest by Friday. The front will bring another round of light rain to the Pacific Northwest Coast. Ziegenfelder Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php