The West Coast will continue to be stuck in a stormy pattern through this weekend with two low pressure systems expected to impact the coast.
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The first system will linger just offshore over the Pacific through Friday, then gradually dissipate Friday night.
The second system will approach early Saturday and move onshore by Saturday night.
Both systems will be accompanied by ample moisture and produce widespread precipitation.
The most impactful precipitation will remain focused along the coasts of northern California and the Pacific Northwest through Friday night, then precipitation will expand south on Saturday and east on Sunday.
Northern California has been hammered with heavy precipitation events over the past couple weeks, and any additional rainfall could pose a threat of flash flooding.
This weekend, precipitation will fall as snow in the higher elevations of the West, and heavy mountain snow will be possible in parts of the Sierra Nevada and Cascades.
Heavy mountain snow could also be possible for the higher peaks of the central and southern Rockies.
In the eastern half of the CONUS, a low pressure system will push across the Northeast through Friday afternoon, then exit offshore into the Atlantic late Friday into early Saturday.
This system will bring a trailing cold front across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, which will trigger showers and thunderstorms tonight into Friday morning followed by a slight cool down in temperatures through Saturday.
On the northern and western sides of the storm, mixed precipitation and snow will be possible in the Northeast, Great Lakes region, Ohio River Valley, and the higher elevations of the northern and central Appalachians.
The highest impact is expected to be in northern Maine where heavy snow followed by a period of freezing rain and sleet will be possible Friday morning.
Snow may be heavy at times downwind of the Great Lakes where lake-effect snow is expected to develop.
Precipitation will gradually taper off across the Northeast on Saturday. ■
Modified arctic air combined with a moisture-laden area of low pressure along the Gulf Coast will continue to allow for a broad area of winter weather impacts from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Southeast today into early Saturday morning.