Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 231 PM EST Tue Feb 18 2025 Valid 00Z Wed Feb 19 2025 - 00Z Fri Feb 21 2025 ...Winter storm to track from the central Plains to Mid-Mississippi Valley today through tonight before impacting the southern Mid-Atlantic on Wednesday with accumulating snow and areas of sleet/freezing rain... ...Record cold temperatures and dangerously cold wind chills to spill further southward into the Plains with below average temperatures spanning across much of the East... ...Next round of mountain snow and lower elevation rain expected to affect the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies Wednesday into Thursday... A large pool of Arctic air continues to advance farther south into the mid-section of the country, especially through the Lonestar State. Temperatures are extremely cold behind the front and ahead of a 1050 mb high pressure dominating the central part of the country. Temperatures as of this afternoon are below zero as far south as Oklahoma and the 20s in northern Texas. In addition to the cold, snowfall is ongoing across the Plains and will spread eastward through the day for the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys. There is a high chance of seeing 4 to 8 inches, with some locally higher amounts. A swath of sleet/freezing rain can also be expected across the southern portion of these states from this afternoon into tonight. This will result in difficult travel conidtions, with moderate to major impacts from a combination of snow and ice. Meanwhile, accumulating snowfall will continue to spread eastward across the southern Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic on Wednesday. Areas from northern North Carolina to the Delmarva can expect snowfall potential to exceed 6 inches with locally higher amounts possible. On the southern end of the snowfall in North Carolina, there is a higher chance for locally significant ice accumulations that could result in dangerous travel conditions. Meanwhile, lake-effect snow will once again impact the Snow Belt region downwind from the Great Lakes. With the frigid airmass settling into most of the central and eastern U.S., record cold temperatures are likely to be set. The southern U.S. will have high temperatures in the 30s and 40s, and the Plains will have high temperatures in the low single digits to the teens. Low temperatures across the northern Plains will be frigidly cold in the -20s and -30s, and the southern Plains and Ohio and Tennessee Valleys will see low temperatures in the single digits and approach zero. The Gulf Coast may approach low temperature values in the 20s. Gusty winds will make it feel as cold as -30 to even -60 across the northern Plains. The southern Plains could see windchill temperatures as low as the -20s. Extreme Cold Warnings and Cold Weather Advisories are currently span across the northern Plains and upper Midwest down to central Texas to address these frigid temperatures. Be sure to dress in layers including a hat, face mask, and gloves if you must go outside! Elsewhere, mountain snow and light lower elevation snow continues across the northern Rockies through the remainder of today. Then, by late Wednesday and early Thursday, the next Pacific storm system enters the Northwest. High elevation snow and high winds are possible with this area of low pressure. The western to central Gulf Coast may also see 2-3 inches of rainfall as a cold front sweeps through the area. Some isolated flash flooding and strong, gusty winds may occur today as the Weather Prediction Center has a Marginal Risk for Excessive Rainfall, and the Storm Prediction Center has a Marginal Risk for severe thunderstorms. Kong/Wilder Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php