000 FXUS01 KWBC 092105 PMDSPD SHORT RANGE FORECAST DISCUSSION NWS HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER CAMP SPRINGS MD 404 PM EST THU FEB 09 2012 VALID 00Z FRI FEB 10 2012 - 00Z SUN FEB 12 2012 ...ARCTIC AIR WILL SPREAD ACROSS MUCH OF THE EASTERN THIRD OF THE COUNTRY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS FOLLOWED BY A LARGE DEVELOPING STORM OFF THE EAST COAST... ...PRECIPITATION EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH SATURDAY IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST... THE FORECAST PERIOD BEGINS WITH THE LEADING EDGE OF AN ARCTIC AIR MASS MOVING INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS FROM CANADA. THE ARCTIC AIR IS FORECAST TO PLUNGE SOUTH AND EASTWARD AND OVERSPREAD THE EASTERN THIRD OF THE COUNTRY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. WITH A CONTINENTAL ORIGIN...MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLD FRONT IS SCARCE AS ONLY LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. MEANWHILE...AN UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE IS MOVING EASTWARD INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS...TRIGGERING THE FORMATION OF A SURFACE COLD FRONT. SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO DRAW SOME GULF MOISTURE NORTHWARD INTO THE DEEP SOUTH AS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM MOVES QUICKLY EASTWARD TOWARDS THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. ON FRIDAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH FRIDAY. BY FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...BOTH THE ARCTIC AIR MASS AND THE UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE IN THE SOUTH WILL WORK IN CONCERT TO TRIGGER THE FORMATION OF A LARGE CYCLONE JUST OFF THE EAST COAST OF THE U.S. AS THE ARCTIC COLD FRONT BEGINS TO MOVE INTO THE EASTERN SEABOARD AND THE STORM BEGINS TO STRENGTHEN OFFSHORE...LIGHT SNOW OR RAIN MAY BE ENHANCED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME ESPECIALLY NEAR THE SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND COAST EARLY ON SATURDAY. OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST...A SERIES OF PACIFIC FRONTS AND WEAKENING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS ARE EXPECTED TO KEEP A GOOD CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. ELSEWHERE...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED NEAR THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA AS WELL AS THE KEYS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. KONG GRAPHICS AVAILABLE AT WWW.HPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV $$