Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 240 PM EST Sat Jan 11 2025 Valid 00Z Sun Jan 12 2025 - 00Z Tue Jan 14 2025 ...Critical fire weather conditions continue for southern California... ...Clipper system bringing snow showers to the Upper Midwest/Great Lakes this weekend... ...Moderate to locally heavy snow for the parts of the northern to central Rockies... ...Below average, frigid Winter temperatures continue for much of the lower 48... Critical fire-weather conditions will unfortunately ramp up again today for southern California and last through at least early next week as periodic enhancements of off-shore winds continue. The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted the region with this Critical Risk (level 2/3) due to forecast sustained winds of 20 mph, with gusts to 40+, and dry relative humidity. This may lead to the spread of ongoing fires as well as the development of new ones. Winter-weather wise, a clipper system crossing the Upper Midwest/Great Lakes this weekend will bring widespread snow showers to the region. Amounts should generally range between 3-6", with some locally heavier amounts (8+") possible, especially where lake-enhanced snowfall occurs along both the Upper Peninsula and western Michigan and downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario. A period of more prolonged lake-effect snows will also settle in downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario continuing beyond the current forecast period with northwesterly flow in place. A shortwave passing over the Great Basin/Rockies aided by upslope flow on the backside of the clipper system will also continue to bring snow to northern/central Rockies and adjacent High Plains as well as the eastern Great Basin. Heavy accumulations (1-2 feet) are forecast for the areal mountain ranges, with some moderate amounts of 3-6 inches in the northern High Plains. Elsewhere, some light snow showers will continue across portions of New England and the interior Northeast through Saturday night as a low pressure system departs the region into the Atlantic. To the south, a low pressure system traversing the Gulf of Mexico will bring some moderate to locally heavy rain showers to the western Gulf Coast Sunday, the central Gulf Coast Sunday night, and the Gulf Coast of Florida by Monday. High Temperatures are forecast to remain below average for much of the lower 48 with broad upper-toughing in place, anchored by an upper-low over southeastern Canada. Periodic sweeping cold front passages will keep bringing waves of frigid Canadian air southward. Conditions broadly will tend to be at least 5-15 degrees below average, particularly over north-central portions of the country the next couple of days. Forecast highs in the Upper-Midwest and northern Plains will generally be in the single digits and teens, with wind chills as low as -25. Forecast temperatures more generally range from the teens and 20s across the Midwest; the 20s and 30s in the Rockies; the 30s and 40s for the Interior West and from the central/southern Plains east through the Mid-South/Southeast to the East Coast; and the 50s to low 60s for the Gulf Coast, Desert Southwest, and California. Frost and Freeze-related Advisories/Warnings are in place across seasonally more temperate portions of the country including southern Georgia/northern Florida, the Desert Southwest, and the central California Valleys as lows in the 30s may damage sensitive vegetation. Putnam Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php