419 FXUS01 KWBC 152001 PMDSPD Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 300 PM EST Thu Jan 15 2026 Valid 00Z Fri Jan 16 2026 - 00Z Sun Jan 18 2026 ...Snow squalls will create dangerous travel conditions tonight through Friday for the northern/central Plains and Midwest... ...Very gusty winds for much of the northern and central High Plains through Friday... ...Variable temperatures following frontal passages for the eastern to central U.S. while the West remains above average and mild... Lingering snow showers will continue for portions of the Interior Northeast through this evening following a cold front passage. Additional totals will generally remain light but some more moderate snow is expected for regions downwind of the Great Lakes. To the west, another clipper-like system dropping southeastward through the Northern Plains and into the Midwest will bring a broad area of snow this evening and into the day Friday. Dangerous travel is expected as snow squalls following the passage of an arctic front will lead to brief but sudden, intense bouts of snow along with strong gusty winds leading to icy roads and near-zero visibility. Even outside any snow squalls, strong winds are expected, with gusts above 60 mph possible across the northern and central High Plains. These winds will also bring the threat of hazardous travel, especially for high profile vehicles, and could lead to scattered power outages that would be particularly dangerous as sub-zero wind chills arrive behind the front. In addition, regions downwind of the Great Lakes as well as along the higher elevations of the Appalachians are expected to see some more moderate to locally heavy snow. The system will continue east into the Northeast on Saturday bringing the chance for some wintry precipitation, though any accumulations should generally remain light outside of higher elevations of the interior mountains. Snow will also continue downwind of the Great Lakes with favorable west-northwesterly post-frontal flow in place. Further to the south, some rain showers are forecast across the Tennessee Valley to the Gulf Coast Saturday as well. Quick system/frontal passages will lead to variable temperatures from the central to eastern U.S. Conditions remain very cold and below average from the Mississippi Valley to the East Coast today following a cold frontal passage. Freezing temperatures are expected as far south as northern to central Florida Friday morning and could lead to damage to crops and other sensitive vegetation. Conditions will moderate heading into the weekend with seasonable to above average high temperatures for the Mississippi Valley/Midwest Friday and the East Coast Saturday. Meanwhile, after a very mild, even warm day for many across the Plains today, a pair of cold fronts will bring much colder temperatures across the Plains and into the Mississippi Valley Friday and into the weekend. Conditions will be downright frigid for many by Saturday with highs in the single digits and teens and below zero wind chills expected across much of the northern to central Plains and Upper Midwest. An upper-ridge over the western U.S. will continue to lead to more consistent, well above average, mild to warm temperatures. Putnam Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php $$