Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 411 PM EDT Tue Apr 23 2013 Valid 00Z Wed Apr 24 2013 - 00Z Fri Apr 26 2013 ...Wintry Weather to continue Across the Plains and the Mississippi Valley... The robust cold front that is currently moving into the Great Lakes, Middle Mississippi valley, and southern Plains is producing snow across the central Plains. There is also upsloping snow along the Rockies in Colorado and New Mexico. This activity is expected to diminish by early Wednesday morning as the cold front continues to trek east. As the aforementioned cold front continues its eastward journey, heavier showers and thunderstorms will concentrate along the front through Tuesday evening and Wednesday. The rain-to-snow transition is expected to stay within the Great Lakes and Canada. Once the front exits the East Coast, the precipitation will be much lighter. However, a low off of this cold front will develop along the Texas Gulf Coast and will bring much needed showers and thunderstorms to the drought-stricken region throughout the short term forecast period. Meanwhile, a low that has been moving off the coast of southern New England will continue its delivery of moderate to heavy rains and gusty winds from Tuesday night to Wednesday morning. The low will lift to the north and consequently the precipitation shield will lift towards northern New England and into Canada by Wednesday afternoon. Another disturbance will drop into the Northern Plains and bring light snow showers across the Dakotas, and Upper Midwest. The accompanying front with the disturbance and precipitation will arrive Wednesday morning and will dwindle sometime Wednesday night and into Thursday morning. An upper low will approach the coast of Southern California by Wednesday night which will help move a cold front through the Desert Southwest. Higher terrain precipitation is possible with this system. Fanning Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php