WEATHER WED DEC 20 2023 WEST COAST STORM, DRY CENRAL AND EAST

With the departure of the low pressure system further away intosoutheastern Canada, a relatively quiet weather pattern is expected toprevail across the eastern two-thirds of the country under the influenceof a cool and stable high pressure system.  The most active weather willbe found along the West Coast where a low pressure system is forecast tostay not too far offshore while moving very slowly to the south throughthe next few days.  Rain will be the primary precipitation type associatedwith this system except wet snow expected over the higher elevations alongthe Sierra Nevada.  The heaviest rainfall is expected to impact areas nearthe coast of California from north to south as the system dips generallysouthward.  Rainfall amounts are forecast to be 1 to 2 inches with locallyhigher amounts near the coast of northern to central California tonightinto Wednesday before shifting southward into the coastal sections ofsouthern California, where a higher chance of heavy rain with locally afew inches of rainfall totals possible on Thursday.  Flash flooding maybecome an issue given these forecast rainfall amounts.