695 FXUS01 KWBC 070800 PMDSPD Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 259 AM EST Wed Jan 07 2026 Valid 12Z Wed Jan 07 2026 - 12Z Fri Jan 09 2026 ...Storm system to bring snow to the Four Corners region as well as widespread showers and thunderstorms from the Plains to the Midwest/Mississippi Valley Thursday... ...Flash flooding and severe weather threat across the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys Friday... ...Heavy mountain snow continues for the Cascades as well as portions of the Interior West through Thursday... ...Well above average temperatures continue for much of the central and eastern U.S. while the western U.S. trends chillier... An upper-wave dropping southward along the West coast overnight will swing eastward over the Southwest this morning. Moisture ahead of the system will begin to first spread into the Desert Southwest, bringing showers and thunderstorms, before snow begins spreading through the mountains of the Four Corners region by Wednesday night. Moderate to locally heavy snowfall is expected especially overnight Wednesday and into Thursday as the upper-wave passes overhead and a second upper wave quickly drops southward behind it. Meanwhile, lee cyclogenesis is expected as the upper-wave reaches the Plains overnight Wednesday, helping to organize a low pressure/frontal system over the central/southern Plains. Increasing moist, southerly flow from the Gulf ahead of the system will lead to an expanding area of showers and thunderstorms from the central/southern Plains Thursday morning into the Midwest/Mississippi Valley throughout the day. Rainfall should generally remain modest. However, as the system moves into the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys Friday, much heavier rainfall is expected, with scattered flash flooding possible, as well as a severe weather threat. Some wintry precipitation will be possible in the colder air to the northwest of the low-track, generally from Nebraska northeast into the Upper Midwest, though little to no accumulations are expected. The more impactful winter weather will be in the post-frontal upslope flow along the Front Range of the Rockies. Accumulations of several inches are possible Thursday into Friday for portions of southern Colorado into northeastern New Mexico, and possibly east into southwestern Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle as well. Very heavy snow will continue for the mountains of the Pacific Northwest including the Cascades and Olympics as one Pacific system passes through and a second approaches during the day Wednesday. At least 1-2 more feet of snow is possible bringing storm total snowfall into the 3-4 foot range. The system passages and inland flow of moisture will also continue to bring moderate to heavy snow to the mountain ranges of the northern/central Rockies and Great Basin, as well as southward into portions of northern California and the Sierra. Moderate rainfall will also continue for coastal/lower elevations of the Pacific Northwest, as well as a lighter wintry mix further inland across lower elevations of the Great Basin. Precipitation should trend downward into Thursday before coming to an end for most locations by Friday. Elsewhere, some light icing and snow will linger for portions of New England today as an area of low pressure lifts away from the region into the Atlantic. Amplifying upper-ridging will keep well above average temperatures in the forecast for much of the central to eastern U.S. this week. The trend will be for the greatest anomalies of 25-35 degrees as well as potential for a handful of record-tying/breaking daily highs to shift eastward from the Plains Wednesday to the Mississippi Valley/Midwest Thursday. This also includes a warm-up into above average highs for the Northeast following a chilly pattern to start the year. Forecast highs generally range in the 30s and 40s from the northern Plains east through the Great Lakes and into New England; the 40s and 50s for the Mid-Atlantic; the 50s and 60s from the central Plains east through the Middle Mississippi/Ohio Valleys; and the 60s, 70s, and some 80s from the southern Plains/Texas east through the Southeast. In contrast, multiple cold front passages will bring colder temperatures to most of the West following a mild weekend and start to the week. Below average conditions will begin to spread eastward from the West Coast Wednesday and especially into Thursday, when highs will range in the 30s and 40s for the Pacific Northwest/Interior West, the 50s and 60s for California, and the 60s for the Desert Southwest. Putnam Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php $$