Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
1201 PM EST Sun Dec 15 2019

Valid 00Z Mon Dec 16 2019 - 00Z Wed Dec 18 2019

...Widespread wintry weather expected from the central Plains to the
Northeast today through Tuesday...

...Strong to severe thunderstorms likely across the Deep South on Monday...

...Santa Ana winds impact southern California Monday into Tuesday...

Heavy snow is developing and expanding across the central Plains this
Sunday northeast of a surface low moving across the southern Plains, where
more than a foot of snow is expected for today over the higher elevations
of southern Colorado.  As the associated upper-level disturbance quickly
moves across the southern Rockies, snow, freezing rain and mixed
precipitation will spread eastward into the Midwest later today and into
the Ohio Valley tonight.  By Monday morning, a wide swath of snow is
expected to impact areas from the central Plains eastward through the
Midwest, the lower Great Lakes, central Appalachians, and into the
northern Mid-Atlantic states.  By Monday night into Tuesday morning, much
of New England will see snow spreading in while mild air aloft will likely
transition the snow to freezing rain across southern New England.  Cold
air moving in behind the system combined with a weaker system moving in
from the west should lead to lake effect snows downwind of all the Great
Lakes on Tuesday.  The coastal sections of the Northeast should see the
snow changing over to plain rain by Tuesday morning.  Meanwhile,
thunderstorms will become likely across the Deep South as the low pressure
system intensifies along a sharp front.  Fueled by increasing moisture,
warmth and instability from the Gulf of Mexico, the thunderstorms will
likely become strong to severe as they sweep across the central and
eastern Gulf states Monday and Monday night.

In the wake of the front, a strong high pressure system builds into the
Great Basin will set up a dry, gusty northeast flow across California on
Monday and Tuesday, with the promise of cool, Santa Ana winds which appear
to be moderate in strength.  Due to recent rains wetting area vegetation,
fire weather danger looks low per guidance from the Storm Prediction
Center.

Kong/Roth


Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php