WPC Frontal Systems Short Term Forecast

The forecasts depicted below combine WPC forecasts of fronts, isobars and high/low pressure centers with the NDFD depiction of expected weather type for days .5 to 2.5 ahead. Each frame represents 6 hours. A short range forecast discussion for the CONUS is available below the short term loop.

FXUS01 KWBC 122012
PMDSPD

Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
300 PM EST Fri Dec 12 2025

Valid 00Z Sat Dec 13 2025 - 00Z Mon Dec 15 2025

...Record warmth across portions of the west, while arctic air
surges into the eastern two-thirds of the country through the
weekend...

...Another clipper will bring accumulating snow across the
Northern Plains to the Midwest and Ohio Valley through Saturday,
then from central Appalachians to possibly the northern
Mid-Atlantic on Sunday...

...Lake effect snow re-invigorates this weekend...

...A break from the wet weather this weekend for the Pacific
Northwest before the arrival of the next round of rain on Sunday...

The weather pattern across the country this weekend will allow a
break in the atmospheric river across the Pacific Northwest as
arctic air from Canada will be unleashed into the eastern
two-thirds of the country.  As this weather pattern unfolds,
another clipper low pressure wave will bring a stripe of
accumulating snow through tonight across the northern High Plains
to the northern Plains.  This snow will then spread swiftly from
the northern Plains to the Midwest on Saturday before moving into
the Ohio Valley toward the central Appalachians Saturday night
behind an arctic cold front.  By early on Sunday, the northern
Mid-Atlantic can expect some snow to develop before sunrise behind
this arctic cold front with support from the upper-level dynamics
of a potent jet stream.  Blustery conditions will also accompany
the snow as the arctic rushes in behind the cold front.  This
surge of arctic air will challenge or break some record low
maximum temperatures especially where the snow is expected to
accumulate.  The arctic air will also bring a re-resurgence of
lake-effect snows across the Snowbelt downwind from the Great
Lakes through the weekend.  The snow should be last to taper off
across the Mid-Atlantic during the day on Sunday.  An arctic high
pressure system diving into the Plains will make for a frigid
Sunday for much of the eastern two-thirds of the country.  The
exception will be near the Gulf Coast and much of the Sunshine
States where it will take some more time for the cold air to push
out the showers and embedded thunderstorms.

Meanwhile, the Pacific Northwest will experience a break from the
recent extreme wet weather this weekend.  Nevertheless, the major
to catastrophic flooding effects are likely to continue into the
weekend across portions of western Washington State and
northwestern Oregon.  By Sunday, rain from the next system is
forecast to reach the Pacific Northwest.  Rainfall amounts are
expected to be light to locally moderate by later on Sunday across
western Washington, but mainly light across northwestern Oregon. 
The lull in the Pacific Northwest heavy rains is in response to
the continued amplification of the large scale flow across North
America, characterized by a building mid-to-upper level ridge
across the West and a broad deep upper low over the middle to
eastern portions of the U.S.  This amplified pattern will produce
big temperature contrasts from west to east across the Lower 48
going into this weekend.  Much above average temperatures are
forecast from the West coast, through the Southwest, Great Basin,
Rockies and into the Southern Plains.  The exception continues to
be in the central California Valley where low clouds and fog are
expected to remain stuck, keeping temperatures much cooler than
surrounding cloud free areas. Some record high afternoon
temperatures and record high morning low temperatures are possible
in scattered locations across the western states.


Kong/Oravec/Kebede

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

$$

• NDFD Rain (Chance) – There is chance of measurable rain (≥0.01″) at the valid time.
• NDFD Rain (Likely) – Measurable rain (≥0.01″) is likely at the valid time.
• NDFD Snow (Chance) – There is chance of measurable snowfall (≥0.01″ liquid equivalent) at the valid time.
• NDFD Snow (Likely) – Measurable snow (≥0.01″ liquid equivalent) is likely at the valid time.
• NDFD Mix (Chance) – There is a chance of measurable mixed precipitation (≥0.01″ liquid equivalent) at the valid time.  “Mixed” can refer to precipitation where a combination of rain and snow, rain and sleet, or snow and sleet are forecast.
• NDFD Mix (Likely) – Measurable mixed precipitation (≥0.01″ liquid equivalent) is likely at the valid time.  “Mixed” can refer to precipitation where a combination of rain and snow, rain and sleet, or snow and sleet are forecast.
• NDFD Ice (Chance) – There is a chance of measurable sleet and/or freezing rain (≥0.01″ liquid equivalent) at the valid time.
• NDFD Ice (Likely) – Measurable sleet and/or freezing rain (≥0.01″ liquid equivalent) is likely at the valid time.
• NDFD T-Storm (Chance) – There is a chance of thunderstorms at the valid time.   Areas are displayed with diagonal hatching enclosed in a dark red border.
• NDFD T-Storm (Likely and/or Severe) – Thunderstorms are likely and/or the potential exists for some storms to reach severe levels at the valid time.