Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 238 PM EST Thu Feb 20 2025 Valid 00Z Fri Feb 21 2025 - 00Z Sun Feb 23 2025 ...Widespread record cold temperatures continue through Friday from the Central Plains to the Gulf Coast before a warming trend sets in by the weekend... ... An atmospheric river will bring rain to the Pacific Northwest starting this weekend into the early work week... ...Areas along the Gulf Coast will have a chance for showers ... A strong Arctic high pressure is expected to remain dominant across the central and eastern U.S. for the next couple of days. However, the cold weather extremes should start to lessen in magnitude after Friday. Friday morning will still be hazardously cold as low temperatures will range from below zero to the teens for a majority of the Central Plains to the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys. Cold Weather Advisories remain in effect until Friday morning as wind chills may have temperatures feel like zero. Low temperatures will then gradually moderate, and low temperatures should be in the 20s and 30s for these areas by Sunday morning. High temperatures will still be below average across the southern U.S. through the weekend, but should become more seasonable with 40s and 50s from Texas to North Carolina. The Pacific Northwest will begin to see the return of heavy rainfall and perhaps some gusty winds in coastal locations this weekend as an atmospheric river transports moisture ahead of a deepening low pressure over the Pacific Ocean. Over a 3 day period from Friday to Monday, 2-4 inches of rainfall may be possible, with locally heavier amounts possible with upslope flow along terrain. The atmospheric river is expected to be not too strong, but the Weather Prediction Center does have a Marginal Risk for Excessive Rainfall for Saturday-Monday as some isolated flooding cannot be completely ruled out. The system is expected to be fairly warm, so snowfall levels in the Cascades and mountain ranges should be rather high. As high pressure controls the weather for most of the country with exception to the Pacific Northwest, most of the country should be mostly dry for weekend plans. With that said, gulf coast showers will then become a storyline as low level moisture may overrun a frontal boundary over the southern Gulf or northern Caribbean. The showers should be very light and will be scattered about. Sunday could see more moderate rainfall in Texas or Louisiana. Wilder Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php