144
FXUS01 KWBC 211853
PMDSPD
SHORT RANGE FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD
152 PM EST WED JAN 21 2026
VALID 00Z THU JAN 22 2026 - 00Z SAT JAN 24 2026
...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL BRING SNOW DOWNWIND OF THE GREAT LAKES
OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS...
...DANGEROUSLY COLD ARCTIC AIR WILL MOVE OVER THE GREAT PLAINS AND
MIDWEST BEGINNING TONIGHT AND EXPAND INTO EASTERN CONUS...
...MAJOR WINTER STORM TO BEGIN IMPACTING THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND
LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BEGINNING ON FRIDAY...
A SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS THE
CENTRAL U.S. OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THIS WILL SUPPORT THE
PROGRESSION OF AN UPPER-LEVEL LOW AND COLD FRONT THAT WILL EXTEND
SOUTHWARD INTO THE PLAINS. LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT AHEAD OF
THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL ENHANCE CHANCES FOR MIXED PRECIPITATION.
AS THE SURFACE LOW CONTINUES TO TREK NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE
GREAT LAKES AND THE SOUTHERLY FLOW FACILITATES MOISTURE TRANSPORT
FROM THE GULF, PORTIONS OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY INTO OHIO
VALLEY WILL EXPERIENCE SOME MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY
PRECIPITATION. FARTHER NORTH, COLDER AIR WRAPPING INTO THE SYSTEM
AND LAKE-EFFECT WILL SUPPORT OCCASIONAL WINTRY PRECIPITATION AND
SNOW OVER THE GREAT LAKES, WITH HIGHER SNOWFALL AMOUNTS DOWNWIND
OF LAKE ONTARIO. SEVERAL AREAS WITHIN THE GREAT LAKES ARE UNDER A
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY THROUGH THURSDAY, AS SNOW ACCUMULATION MAY
CAUSE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR TRAVELERS AND COMMUTERS. AS THE
SURFACE LOW MOVES NORTHEASTWARD AND THE COLD FRONTS CONTINUE TO
ADVANCE ACROSS THE APPALACHIANS, SNOW SQUALLS AND SNOW SHOWERS MAY
DEVELOP BEHIND THE FRONTAL PASSAGE OVER PARTS OF THE NORTHEAST
THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY.
BEGINNING ON THURSDAY, A STRONG AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE IN WESTERN
CANADA WILL AID IN BRINGING A FRIGID ARCTIC AIR MASS ORIGINATING
FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS, AFTER THE PASSING OF AN ARCTIC COLD
FRONT. FRIGID BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WILL EXPAND FROM THE
NORTHERN PLAINS INTO SOUTHERN PLAINS AND ACROSS THE MAJORITY OF
CENTRAL AND EASTERN U.S. BY THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED
BY GUSTY WINDS, LEADING TO DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS. THE COLDEST WIND
CHILLS MAY FALL BELOW -50F ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS, WITH
SUB-ZERO WIND CHILLS REACHING AS FAR SOUTHEAST AS THE MID-ATLANTIC
STATES AND SOUTHERN PLAINS. WITH THE GUSTY WINDS, COLD
TEMPERATURES, AND SNOWFALL, PARTS OF THE UPPER AND MID MISSISSIPPI
VALLEY ARE UNDER A BLIZZARD WARNING THIS EVENING. IN ADDITION,
SEVERAL AREAS HAVE ISSUED EXTREME COLD WATCHES/WARNINGS THROUGH
SATURDAY.
HEADING INTO FRIDAY, A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO DIG
INTO SOUTHWESTERN U.S. AND WILL EJECT INTO THE PLAINS, PROMOTING
CYCLOGENESIS, FRONTAL DEVELOPMENT, AND SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW. THIS
WILL BRING A SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM THAT WILL PRODUCE HEAVY
SNOW, SLEET, AND FREEZING RAIN FROM THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES/PLAINS
AND MID-SOUTH INTO THE EAST COAST. WITH THE EXTREME COLD
TEMPERATURES, EXPECT PROLONGED SNOW AND ICE IMPACTS, WHICH MAY
INCLUDE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS, POWER OUTAGES, TREE DAMAGES,
SNOW-COVERED ROADS, AND REDUCED VISIBILITY.
OUDIT/BLANCO-ALCALA
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