Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 245 AM EST Thu Jan 23 2025 Valid 12Z Thu Jan 23 2025 - 12Z Sat Jan 25 2025 ...Very Cold Winter temperatures continue from the Rockies to the East Coast with a slow warm up anticipated heading into the weekend.... ...Periods of lake-effect snow expected downwind of the Great Lakes with some moderate accumulations possible... ...There is a Critical Risk of fire weather over parts of Southern California Thursday... Well below average, very cold temperatures will continue for most of the country from the Rockies east to the East Coast the next couple of days, with some of the most notable departures from average over the Southeast. Forecast highs Thursday generally range from the teens and 20s for the northern Plains and Midwest, the 20s and 30s from the Rockies and central Plains east through the Ohio Valley to the Northeast, and the 30s and 40s from the southern Plains east to the Southeast. Although winds have come down compared to recent days, wind chills will still be quite frigid and make temperatures feel around 10 degrees colder. Some of the more adverse impacts from these temperatures will be for portions of the Gulf Coast and Southeast where snow and ice linger on roads and keep travel hazardous after the historic winter storm. It may take a few more days for these road conditions to improve. Morning lows are also expected to drop below freezing again Friday and Saturday along the Gulf Coast and into northern Florida, keeping sensitive vegetation at risk. Conditions will moderate some on Friday, especially for portions of the Plains where warm westerly winds will bring temperatures up by 10-20 degrees and to average to above average levels. Most areas will continue to slowly moderate into the weekend. A clipper system passing through the Great Lakes and into the Interior Northeast/Appalachians will bring some snow showers Thursday. Some moderate accumulations are possible with lake-effect snow bands for favorable downwind locations of the Great Lakes. Another clipper system following quickly in its wake will bring another round of light snow showers to the northern Plains/Upper Midwest on Friday and the Great Lakes again by Friday evening. To the west, passage of an upper-level wave/surface cold front will bring some light to moderate snow showers to the northern Rockies Thursday and into the central Rockies/eastern Great Basin Friday. Very gusty offshore Santa Ana winds will continue into the day Thursday for Southern California, with gusts as high as 70 mph for some of the area mountain ranges. These winds in combination with very low humidity and dry antecedent conditions have prompted the Storm Prediction Center to continue a Critical Risk of Fire Weather (level 2/3). Wind gusts are expected to come down in strength heading into Friday, reducing the fire risk, though an elevated threat will still exist given dry humidity and conditions. Elsewhere in the West, conditions will be mostly dry with generally at or above average temperatures. Forecast highs the next couple of days range from the 30s and 40s in the Interior West and Pacific Northwest and the 60s and 70s for California and the Desert Southwest. Putnam Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php