419
FXUS01 KWBC 152001
PMDSPD
SHORT RANGE FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD
300 PM EST THU JAN 15 2026
VALID 00Z FRI JAN 16 2026 - 00Z SUN JAN 18 2026
...SNOW SQUALLS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS TONIGHT
THROUGH FRIDAY FOR THE NORTHERN/CENTRAL PLAINS AND MIDWEST...
...VERY GUSTY WINDS FOR MUCH OF THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL HIGH
PLAINS THROUGH FRIDAY...
...VARIABLE TEMPERATURES FOLLOWING FRONTAL PASSAGES FOR THE
EASTERN TO CENTRAL U.S. WHILE THE WEST REMAINS ABOVE AVERAGE AND
MILD...
LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE FOR PORTIONS OF THE INTERIOR
NORTHEAST THROUGH THIS EVENING FOLLOWING A COLD FRONT PASSAGE.
ADDITIONAL TOTALS WILL GENERALLY REMAIN LIGHT BUT SOME MORE
MODERATE SNOW IS EXPECTED FOR REGIONS DOWNWIND OF THE GREAT LAKES.
TO THE WEST, ANOTHER CLIPPER-LIKE SYSTEM DROPPING SOUTHEASTWARD
THROUGH THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND INTO THE MIDWEST WILL BRING A
BROAD AREA OF SNOW THIS EVENING AND INTO THE DAY FRIDAY. DANGEROUS
TRAVEL IS EXPECTED AS SNOW SQUALLS FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF AN
ARCTIC FRONT WILL LEAD TO BRIEF BUT SUDDEN, INTENSE BOUTS OF SNOW
ALONG WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS LEADING TO ICY ROADS AND NEAR-ZERO
VISIBILITY. EVEN OUTSIDE ANY SNOW SQUALLS, STRONG WINDS ARE
EXPECTED, WITH GUSTS ABOVE 60 MPH POSSIBLE ACROSS THE NORTHERN AND
CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS. THESE WINDS WILL ALSO BRING THE THREAT OF
HAZARDOUS TRAVEL, ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES, AND COULD
LEAD TO SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES THAT WOULD BE PARTICULARLY
DANGEROUS AS SUB-ZERO WIND CHILLS ARRIVE BEHIND THE FRONT. IN
ADDITION, REGIONS DOWNWIND OF THE GREAT LAKES AS WELL AS ALONG THE
HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE APPALACHIANS ARE EXPECTED TO SEE SOME
MORE MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW. THE SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE EAST
INTO THE NORTHEAST ON SATURDAY BRINGING THE CHANCE FOR SOME WINTRY
PRECIPITATION, THOUGH ANY ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD GENERALLY REMAIN
LIGHT OUTSIDE OF HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE INTERIOR MOUNTAINS. SNOW
WILL ALSO CONTINUE DOWNWIND OF THE GREAT LAKES WITH FAVORABLE
WEST-NORTHWESTERLY POST-FRONTAL FLOW IN PLACE. FURTHER TO THE
SOUTH, SOME RAIN SHOWERS ARE FORECAST ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY
TO THE GULF COAST SATURDAY AS WELL.
QUICK SYSTEM/FRONTAL PASSAGES WILL LEAD TO VARIABLE TEMPERATURES
FROM THE CENTRAL TO EASTERN U.S. CONDITIONS REMAIN VERY COLD AND
BELOW AVERAGE FROM THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY TO THE EAST COAST TODAY
FOLLOWING A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE
EXPECTED AS FAR SOUTH AS NORTHERN TO CENTRAL FLORIDA FRIDAY
MORNING AND COULD LEAD TO DAMAGE TO CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE
VEGETATION. CONDITIONS WILL MODERATE HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND WITH
SEASONABLE TO ABOVE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR THE MISSISSIPPI
VALLEY/MIDWEST FRIDAY AND THE EAST COAST SATURDAY. MEANWHILE,
AFTER A VERY MILD, EVEN WARM DAY FOR MANY ACROSS THE PLAINS TODAY,
A PAIR OF COLD FRONTS WILL BRING MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES ACROSS
THE PLAINS AND INTO THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY FRIDAY AND INTO THE
WEEKEND. CONDITIONS WILL BE DOWNRIGHT FRIGID FOR MANY BY SATURDAY
WITH HIGHS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS AND BELOW ZERO WIND
CHILLS EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OF THE NORTHERN TO CENTRAL PLAINS AND
UPPER MIDWEST. AN UPPER-RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN U.S. WILL CONTINUE
TO LEAD TO MORE CONSISTENT, WELL ABOVE AVERAGE, MILD TO WARM
TEMPERATURES.
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