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

Valid 12Z Sun Dec 15 2019 - 12Z Tue Dec 17 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...

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

An intensifying low pressure system is exiting New England, bringing an
end to the rain and mild temperatures across Maine this Sunday morning. 
Colder air and residual instability behind the departing storm will result
in snow showers across interior New England and the western slopes of the
central Appalachians today under blustery westerly winds.  Arctic air will
remain north of a front across the Great Lakes where snow showers can be
expected today.  The snow showers should gradually taper off tonight as
the storm moves farther away into eastern Canada.

Meanwhile, snow is developing and expanding across the central Plains this
Sunday morning ahead of a low pressure complex across the southern
Rockies, where more than a foot of snow is expected for today over the
higher elevations of southern Colorado.  As the associated upper-level
trough quickly moves across the southern Rockies today, 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 from the
Atlantic will likely change the snow to freezing rain across southern New
England.  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 builds into the Great Basin will
set up a dry, gusty northeast flow across California on Monday and
Tuesday, with the promise of cool, low-end Santa Ana winds.  Due to recent
rains, 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