SHORT RANGE FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD
347 PM EDT SUN OCT 21 2012

VALID 00Z MON OCT 22 2012 - 00Z WED OCT 24 2012

***ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN CONTINUES FOR THE WESTERN U.S.*** 
 
***SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND MIDWEST*** 
 
***RELATIVELY QUIET CONDITIONS FOR THE EASTERN U.S.*** 
 
A RECENT PATTERN CHANGE IN THE WEATHER HAS RESULTED IN A WESTERN
U.S. TROUGH AND A CENTRAL U.S. RIDGE BECOMING ESTABLISHED. 
THROUGH TUESDAY, THE BIGGEST WEATHER HEADLINE WILL BE IN CENTRAL
AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA STARTING MONDAY.  THIS WILL BE THE FIRST
WINTER WEATHER EVENT FOR THE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAIN
RANGE, WHERE WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES
ARE IN EFFECT.  FOR COASTAL LOCATIONS AND INTO THE CENTRAL VALLEY
OF CALIFORNIA, THE FIRST ORGANIZED RAINFALL EVENT OF THE YEAR
SHOULD RESULT IN A WET START TO THE WORK WEEK AS A PACIFIC COLD
FRONT MOVES INLAND.  ELSEWHERE OUT WEST, OVER IDAHO, WYOMING, AND
MONTANA, LIGHT TO MODERATE PRECIPITATION IS LIKELY TO FALL IN
FAVORED AREAS, WITH SNOW LEVELS GENERALLY AT OR ABOVE 6000 FEET. 
SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE CASCADE MOUNTAINS.  
  
 
CONDITIONS SHOULD REMAIN RATHER UNEVENTFUL ALONG THE EASTERN
SEABOARD AS HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO GOVERN THE WEATHER THROUGH
TUESDAY.  MODERATING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED FOR THE MIDDLE OF
THE WEEK AS SAID HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OFFSHORE AND THE WIND FLOW
BECOMES MORE SOUTHERLY.  OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS, SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE LIKELY ON MONDAY AND EXTENDING INTO THE
MIDWEST STATES BY TUESDAY AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY APPROACHES THE
REGION.
    
D. HAMRICK


GRAPHICS AVAILABLE AT www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php