560
FXUS01 KWBC 301930
PMDSPD
SHORT RANGE FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD
229 PM EST FRI JAN 30 2026
VALID 00Z SAT JAN 31 2026 - 00Z MON FEB 02 2026
...A RAPIDLY INTENSIFYING COASTAL CYCLONE IS FORECAST TO BRING
HEAVY SNOW, HIGH WINDS, AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS FOR THE CAROLINAS
THIS WEEKEND...
...AN INTENSE SURGE OF ARCTIC AIR BEHIND THE COASTAL STORM WILL
SEND BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES DOWN TOWARD SOUTH FLORIDA BY
SUNDAY MORNING...
...A FRONTAL/CLIPPER SYSTEM SET TO BRING WINTRY PRECIPITATION TO
PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN PLAINS...
AN ARCTIC AIR MASS ORIGINATING FROM EASTERN CANADA IS SET TO
CONTINUE MOVING THROUGH THE EASTERN TWO-THIRDS OF THE U.S., DIVING
AS FAR SOUTH AS THE SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AS THE FRIGID
AIR MOVES IN, IT WILL INTERACT WITH THE WARMER GULF STREAM,
RESULTING IN THE FORMATION OF A COASTAL LOW IN THE SOUTHEAST. THE
LOW WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE PRECIPITATION IN THE FORM OF SNOW
IN PARTS OF KENTUCKY, TENNESSEE, AND NORTH CAROLINA THROUGH
SATURDAY, BEFORE THE PRECIPITATION CORE MOVES FURTHER SOUTH. ON
SATURDAY MORNING, THE LOW WILL MOVE OFFSHORE AND BEGIN ITS TREK
NORTHEASTWARD, WHERE IT IS EXPECTED TO DUMP HEAVY SNOW THROUGH
PORTIONS OF THE MID-ATLANTIC, PARTICULARLY IN NORTHERN GEORGIA,
THE CAROLINAS, AND SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA. IN THE AFTERNOON ON
SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, THE LOW IS FORECAST TO STRENGTHEN
DRASTICALLY, BRINGING INTENSE WINDS AND HIGH WAVES ACCOMPANIED
WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW. THIS IS EXPECTED TO LEAD TO PROLONGED
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AS THE SYSTEM BEGINS TO MOVE OUT TO SEA SUNDAY
MORNING. THE EXPLOSIVE DEEPENING OF THE SYSTEM AND THE RAPID
EXPANSION OF ITS SIZE WILL BRING HIGH WINDS AND COASTAL FLOODING
POTENTIALS RAPIDLY UP AND DOWN THE EASTERN SEABOARD BY SATURDAY
EVENING, AND COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY SIGNIFICANT COASTAL FLOODING
AND DAMAGING WAVES. PORTIONS OF GEORGIA, THE CAROLINAS, AND
SOUTHERN VIRGINIA ARE IN A WINTER STORM WARNING THROUGH SUNDAY.
IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, ON AND OFF PRECIPITATION IN THE FORM OF
RAIN IN THE COASTAL REGIONS, AND SNOW/MIXED PRECIPITATION IN
UPSLOPE REGIONS IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. A
SET OF UPPER-LEVEL TROUGHS INTRUDING INTO THE REGION WILL AID IN
GENERATING VARIOUS SURFACE LEVEL FRONTAL SYSTEMS WHICH ARE
FORECAST TO APPROACH THE COAST. THESE SYSTEMS WILL BRING ABOVE
AVERAGE MOISTURE CONTENT, AND COMBINED WITH STRONG ONSHORE FLOW,
HEAVY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED IN UPSLOPE REGIONS OF NORTHWEST
WASHINGTON AND THE COASTAL REGIONS OF OREGON. FARTHER DOWNWIND, IN
THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST REGION, THE HIGHER ELEVATION REGIONS IN THE
MOUNTAINS WILL ALSO EXPERIENCE UPSLOPE WESTERLY FLOW, BRINGING
SNOW AND MIXED PRECIPITATION TO PARTS OF IDAHO, MONTANA, AND
WYOMING. MEANWHILE IN THE NORTHERN PLAINS, A PERSISTENT STATIONARY
BOUNDARY WILL BRING SNOWFALL TO THE DAKOTAS AND NEBRASKA INTO THE
WEEKEND. BY SATURDAY, AN ALBERTA CLIPPER IS FORECAST TO BRING A
PERIOD OF SNOW ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS BEFORE THE SNOW ENDS AS
A WINTRY MIX OR RAIN LATER THAT DAY. THE SNOW IS FORECAST TO REACH
THE UPPER MIDWEST SUNDAY MORNING. MEANWHILE, MUCH OF THE WESTERN
U.S. WILL REMAIN MILDER THAN NORMAL, A STARK CONTRAST TO THE
FRIGID CONDITIONS FROM THE GREAT PLAINS EASTWARD.
IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES, AN INTENSE ARCTIC BLAST IS SURGING
SOUTHWARD FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS, REACHING THE GULF COAST BY
THIS EVENING, WHERE FRIGID CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE
WEEKEND. NUMEROUS DAILY RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED
THROUGHOUT PORTIONS OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY AND MID-ATLANTIC.
DANGEROUSLY COLD TEMPERATURES AND RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES ARE THEN
EXPECTED TO REACH THE SOUTHEAST THIS WEEKEND. WITH THE FORMATION
OF THE AFOREMENTIONED WINTER STORM, STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL BRING
EXTREMELY COLD WIND CHILLS, INCLUDING SUB-ZERO VALUES OVER MUCH OF
THE SOUTH, AND IN THE -20S IN PARTS OF THE OHIO VALLEY. FREEZING
TEMPERATURES THEN ARE FORECAST TO SURGE AS FAR SOUTH AS SOUTH
FLORIDA BY SUNDAY MORNING. COVER UP IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE, ENSURE
PETS AND ANIMALS HAVE PROTECTION FROM THE COLD, AND CONTINUE TO
TAKE STEPS TO PREVENT FROZEN PIPES.
BLANCO-ALCALA/KONG
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