Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
251 AM EST Fri Feb 8 2019

Valid 12Z Fri Feb 8 2019 - 12Z Sun Feb 10 2019

...Much colder weather returning to the eastern U.S. and a winter
storm affects the Pacific Northwest...

A strong cold front reaching the East Coast on Friday will herald
a big change in temperatures in time for the weekend for the
eastern U.S.  After pleasant spring-like conditions over the past
couple of days, a rather abrupt change to reality is coming as
northwesterly winds usher in a Canadian airmass with readings
below average for much of the region through Sunday.  Rain is
likely across the Northeast U.S. on Friday in the warm sector of
the strong low pressure system that will be lifting northward
across Quebec, and some snow showers are likely downwind of the
Great Lakes and across the higher terrain of New England behind
the front. 

The surface high pressure settling southward across the plains
will be more pronounced than normal, with pressures near 1045mb
expected.  This will equate to a large expanse of below normal
temperatures east of the Rockies through Saturday, with the
coldest locations across the northern plains.   High temperatures
are forecast to remain in the subzero realm on Friday from
northeast Montana to Minnesota, and overnight lows in the -20s. 
Wind chill warnings are in effect for those areas.  Temperature
departures from the Midwest to Texas are expected to be on the
order of 10 to 20+ degrees below normal Friday and into Saturday.

The western U.S. will host another winter storm by Friday night
and into Saturday as a cold upper low generates a surface low
pressure system across the Pacific Northwest.  Snow levels will be
lower than usual, reaching sea level across western Washington and
northwest Oregon.  Winter storm warnings are now in effect for the
greater Seattle area where several inches of snow appears likely. 
Winter weather headlines are in effect for much of northern
California and extending northward across interior Oregon and
Washington. 

D. Hamrick


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