475
FXUS01 KWBC 082001
PMDSPD

Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
300 PM EST Wed Jan 08 2025

Valid 00Z Thu Jan 09 2025 - 00Z Sat Jan 11 2025

...Extremely critical fire weather conditions continue for
portions of the Southern California Coast with critical conditions
persisting into Thursday...

...A developing winter storm is set to bring a significant wintry
mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain to much of the Southern U.S.
late tonight into Friday...

...Pacific storm to bring coastal rain and mountain snow to parts
of the Pacific Northwest on Friday...

Extremely critical fire weather conditions will persist across
portions of the Southern California Coast through this evening as
strong downslope Santa Ana winds continue. The very strong winds
combined with relative humidities in the teens and dry fuels will
continue to support a dangerous wind and fire weather event.
Terrain induced wind gusts of 70 to 90 mph will also result in
numerous downed trees and power lines with widespread power
outages likely. The worst of the extremely critical fire weather
conditions are expected to wane overnight, but conditions will
largely remain critically elevated through Thursday and possibly
Friday as well.

A significant winter storm remains on track to bring a wintry mix
of snow, sleet, and freezing rain to a large portion of the
Southern U.S to round out the work week. The developing storm is
set to begin late tonight across portions of West Texas before
expanding north and eastward across the Red River Valley, southern
Ozarks, the Mid-South, and the Tennessee Valley Thursday into
Friday. A large swath of heavy snow is expected to dangerously
impact travel from southeast Oklahoma through much of Tennessee
where accumulations have the potential to exceed 6 inches. Farther
south, snow will transition from snow, to sleet, to freezing rain
as warmer air aloft overspreads sub-freezing temperatures at the
surface. The freezing rain will turn surfaces from roads, to
sidewalks, to trees and power lines icy, leading to hazardous
travel and the concern for downed tree branches and power outages
from portions of Texas, Arkansas, and parts of the Southeast.

Later in the period, a Pacific storm will come crashing ashore
across the Pacific Northwest on Friday. This storm will have
plenty of moisture to work with, setting the stage for widespread
coastal rain and high elevation snow. The highest elevations of
the Cascades will have the potential to receive over a foot of new
snow by the time the storm ends later on Saturday.

Miller

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