317 
FXUS01 KWBC 031945
PMDSPD

Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
244 PM EST Sat Jan 03 2026

Valid 00Z Sun Jan 04 2026 - 00Z Tue Jan 06 2026

...There is a Slight Risk of excessive rainfall over parts of
California...

...Heavy snow over parts of the Great Lakes, Sierra Nevada
Mountains, Northern Intermountain Region, and Northern Rockies...

...Light rain/freezing rain possible over the Upper Mississippi
Valley...

Low pressure over the Northern Plains will move to the Great Lakes
by Monday, while a persistent upper-level trough remains over the
West Coast. The system over the Upper Mississippi Valley will
trigger an icy wintry mix of freezing rain and sleet, causing
hazardous travel conditions over the Upper Mississippi Valley from
Saturday evening into Sunday morning. Additionally, light snow
will develop over the Great Lakes from Saturday night into Sunday,
and heavy snow over parts of the Upper Great Lakes Sunday evening
into Monday. Moreover, a front moving south over Florida will
produce showers and thunderstorms over the Southeast from Saturday
evening into Sunday.

Meanwhile, a broad plume of moisture will move over the West
Coast, with rain moving into California/Pacific Northwest and the
Great Basin. A stream of moisture-laden air will produce heavy
rain over Northern/Central California and Southern California on
Saturday. Therefore, the WPC has issued a Slight Risk (level 2/4)
of excessive rainfall over Northern/Central California and
Southern California on Saturday into Sunday morning.  The
associated heavy rain will create mainly localized areas of flash
flooding, with urban areas, roads, small streams, and burn scars
being the most vulnerable.

Furthermore, rain and higher-elevation snow will develop over
parts of the Northwest Saturday evening into Monday morning. In
addition, heavy snow will grow over the Sierra Nevada Mountains
and the Northern Intermountain Region through Monday.

On Sunday, the heavy rain will continue over Northern California.
Therefore, the WPC has issued a Slight Risk (level 2/4) of
excessive rainfall from Sunday into Monday morning.  The
associated heavy rain will create mainly localized areas of flash
flooding, with urban areas, roads, small streams, and burn scars
being the most vulnerable. 

Ziegenfelder


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

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