Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 214 PM EST Tue Dec 09 2025 Valid 00Z Wed Dec 10 2025 - 00Z Fri Dec 12 2025 ...Atmospheric River will bring several days of heavy rain into the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies with snow for higher mountain elevations... ...A strong clipper system will bring the threat of heavy snow and high winds across the Upper Midwest/Great Lakes as well as portions of the interior Northeast and Appalachians... A strong clipper system dropping through the northern Plains/Upper Midwest and Great Lakes will bring a swath of heavy snow as well as very gusty wins to the region this afternoon and through the overnight hours. Winter weather-related advisories and warnings have been posted for accumulations as much as 4-6", particularly from northeastern North Dakota southeastward through northern/central Minnesota and into northern/central Wisconsin. In addition, widespread High Wind Warnings are in effect for a much broader area across the northern Plains into the Upper Midwest as gusts as high as 60 mph can be expected. These winds will also bring the threat of white-out/blizzard conditions to areas of the Upper Midwest, both where snow will fall with this system as well as where snow remains on the ground from recent days. The clipper will continue east on Wednesday with wintry precipitation spreading into the interior Northeast/New England as well as south through the Appalachians. Accumulations, locally heavy and as much as 6-12", will focus along favorable lake-effect regions downwind of the Great Lakes and the higher elevations the Appalachians as well as the mountain ranges of interior New England. Another upper-level shortwave/surface frontal system will follow quickly on the heels of this system as the pattern remains active, with a swath of moderate snowfall expected across portions of the Midwest into the Upper Ohio Valley Thursday. To the west, a prolonged Atmospheric River event will bring several days of heavy rain to the Pacific Northwest and lower elevations of the northern Rockies as well as heavy high elevation mountain snow. Slight Risks of Excessive Rainfall (level 2/4) are in effect for the Pacific Northwest today and tomorrow, and for a portion of the northern Rockies along the Idaho/Montana border tomorrow and Thursday. The prolonged rainfall, with totals of several inches possible, will bring the threat of some scattered flooding, with the warm, tropical origin of the moisture leading to very high snow levels and thus the inclusion of lower elevations within the northern Rockies. Snowmelt may also contribute to flooding especially along area rivers. Snow levels will generally range between 7000-8000 feet, with locally heavy accumulations possible for both the northern Cascades and areal ranges of the northern Rockies. A swath of moderate to heavy snow is also expected later Wednesday and through the day Thursday through portions of the northern High Plains where a much colder airmass remains in place. A familiar pattern featuring mean upper-troughing over the central to eastern U.S. and mean upper-ridging over the central to western U.S. will continue to keep temperatures at or below average to the east and above to well above average to the west. Conditions will fluctuate a bit daily depending on the timing of frontal passages, but forecast highs the next couple of days will generally be in the teens and 20s for the northern Plains/Great Lakes, the 20s and 30s for the Midwest east through the Ohio Valley and into New England, the 40s and 50s for the Mid-Atlantic and into the Southeast, and 60s and some 70s along the Gulf Coast and into Florida. The above to well above average conditions begin across the central/southern Plains with highs in the 50s/60s further north and 60s and 70s to the south. In the West, highs will be in the 50s for the Pacific Northwest and the interior West, 60s and 70s for central to southern California, and 70s and 80s for the Desert Southwest. Putnam Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php