Extended Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 255 AM EDT Tue Mar 31 2020 Valid 12Z Fri Apr 03 2020 - 12Z Tue Apr 07 2020 ...Overview and Guidance/Predictability Assessment... An immensely strong upper high over far northern Canada will meander in place as an upper low over southwestern Canada rotates impulses about its center of circulation. This will drive a lead system out of the Plains Friday slowly to the East Coast by Sunday with several Pacific systems coming into the West. The models/ensembles continue to show better agreement on at least the first few days of the forecast, and a blend of the deterministic guidance sufficed (though the 18Z GFS was notably quicker into NorCal 12Z Sat). Thereafter, large disagreement near Alaska enters the area off WA/OR late Sat into Sun and perhaps into California by Monday. Trended quickly toward much more ensemble weighting by next Mon as the trough (or upper low) reaches the coast, then fully to the 12Z ECMWF ensemble mean as spread continued to increase beyond reasonable amounts to facilitate any deterministic inclusion. ...Weather/Hazard Highlights... Rainfall will focus along/ahead of a north-south orientated cold front and east of the dryline on Texas, some of which could be locally heavy across south Texas. Marginally cold air on the northwest side of the main surface low supports a modest snow risk from the end of the short range to the beginning of the medium range across Minnesota. Precipitation will become lighter farther east over the Great Lakes/Northeast with more appreciable rainfall possible along the Gulf Coast. Meanwhile, the Pac NW will see some general light rain/snow as a couple lead systems move through with the potential for more organized activity through CA (especially the Sierra). Depending on the speed/depth of the trough through the West, precipitation could focus southward to southern California into the Great Basin by the end of the period. Fracasso Additional 3-7 Day Hazards information can be found on the WPC medium range hazards chart at: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/threats/threats.php WPC medium range 500mb heights, surface systems, weather grids, quantitative precipitation, winter weather outlook probabilities and heat indices are at: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/medr/5dayfcst500_wbg.gif https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/medr/5dayfcst_wbg_conus.gif https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/5km_grids/5km_gridsbody.html https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/qpf/day4-7.shtml https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/wwd/pwpf_d47/pwpf_medr.php?day=4 https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/heat_index.shtml