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