Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
157 AM EST Sun Jan 18 2026

Valid 12Z Sun Jan 18 2026 - 12Z Tue Jan 20 2026

...Quick hitting snowfall may cause travel disruptions over parts of the
Southeast this morning...

...Blizzard conditions and high winds likely over portions of the Northern
Plains and Upper Midwest today...

...Heavy snow downwind of Great Lakes...


A low pressure system is expected to develop off the Southeast Coast this
morning, while a cold front weakens while it moves toward the East Coast.
Snow or a rain/snow mix will develop and spread from the Florida panhandle
into central Georgia this morning before the precipitation quickly moves
toward the Southeast Coast by this afternoon. Snow accumulations between a
trace to 1 inch are most likely with isolated areas receiving as much as
2-4 inches over central Georgia (south of I-85), where winter storm
warnings and winter weather advisories are in effect for this morning.
Snow showers will then spread up the East Coast across the Mid-Atlantic
and Northeast Coasts this afternoon and evening. Accumulations between 3-6
inches with isolated higher amounts are possible from the New York City
metro area through coastal New England by Monday morning. Temperatures
will drop in the wake of this coastal low as high pressure builds across
the South. Freeze warnings are in effect for portions of South Texas this
morning.

An Arctic cold front will dive south and east through the Central and
Eastern U.S. over the next couple of days. Snow showers and strong winds
are expected to spread from the Northern Plains to the Upper Midwest late
this morning and into the afternoon. Blizzard warnings are in effect for
portions of eastern North Dakota into northwestern Minnesota today, where
winds gusting up to 60 mph could lead to whiteout conditions, which would
make travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening. Heavy snow is
likely to continue downwind of the Great Lakes over the next couple of
days, expanding from the Upper Great Lakes tonight into the Lower Great
Lakes by early Monday morning. Several inches of snow are expected to
accumulate downwind of the lakes by Tuesday morning.


Kebede


Graphics available at
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php