A coastal low continues to track northeast along the east coast while intensifying.
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Widespread precipitation is expected to continue across New England through this evening, with rain falling near the coast and a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain falling at inland and high elevation locations.
Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings remain in effect for northern Maine where the highest accumulations of wintry precipitation are expected.
In the warning area, storm total snow accumulations could reach 6 to 11 inches and sleet accumulations could reach up to one tenth of an inch.
Precipitation will decrease from south to north late tonight as the system pushes out of the region into the Canadian Maritimes.
Behind the departing coastal low pressure system, cold west-northwesterly flow will funnel into the Great Lakes region, triggering the start of a likely significant lake effect snow event.
Heavy snowfall downwind of the lakes is expected to intensify tonight, and periods of heavy snow will continue through the weekend.
The most intense snowfall is expected to occur Thursday and Friday and will be especially pronounced downwind of lakes Erie and Ontario.
At times, thunder and lightning may accompany heavy snowfall with rates exceeding two inches per hour.
Visibility will drop to near zero at times and roadways will be covered with snow making travel hazardous to nearly impossible.
Snow accumulations in excess of 12 inches are likely in many locations east and southeast of the Great Lakes, and several feet of snow will be possible with the heaviest snowfall in the Buffalo, New York metro area and far northwest Pennsylvania.
Lake Effect Snow Warnings are in effect downwind of lakes Eerie and Ontario, and Winter Storm Watches and Winter Storm Warnings are in effect downwind of lake Michigan.
The next system to impact the CONUS will arrive Thursday as low pressure tracks southeast across southern Canada towards the Great Lakes.
This system will bring another cold front southeast across the central U.S.
Thursday, then the front will push towards the East and Gulf Coasts on Friday.
This front will bring a chance of snow to the Great Plains and heavy snow will be possible in the northern and central Rockies and nearby High Plains.
Cold arctic air will move in behind the front, continuing the stretch of below normal temperatures across most of the CONUS.
High temperatures are forecast to be 10-20 degrees below normal for much of the nation through Sunday.
Sub-freezing highs will be common in the Central U.S.
Thursday through Saturday, and highs along the northern Gulf Coast will struggle to reach the mid-to-upper 50s.
Impactful weather is expected to stay out of the West through the end of the week, aside from the Santa Ana winds in southern California that will begin to relax tonight.
High winds warnings and Wind Advisories remain in effect for portions of southern California and are set to expire this evening.
High pressure will remain in place across much of the region through the day on Thursday, then a dry cold front will move south across the region Thursday night and Friday.
Strong high pressure will build again after the frontal passage. ■
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