Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 225 AM EST Mon Mar 07 2016 Valid 12Z Mon Mar 07 2016 - 12Z Wed Mar 09 2016 ...Heavy snow possible for the California mountains... ...Severe thunderstorms and flash flooding possible for portions of the southern plains and lower Mississippi valley... ...Above average temperatures expected from the central and northern plains to the Northeast... A low pressure system will move into the West Coast states today, bringing a continuation of rain and mountain snow to the region. Thunderstorms are also possible. Heavy snow is possible in areas of higher terrain, including the Sierras, San Gabriels, and the San Bernardino Mountains. Additional snowfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches are possible in these areas. Snow will also spread into the Great Basin by later today as the system moves inland. The West Coast states will see a lull in precipitation Monday night into early Tuesday before another frontal boundary approaches during the day on Tuesday, spreading rain and mountain snow into the northwestern U.S. once again. Another low pressure system will bring snow to the Rockies this morning before moving into the plains by this evening. Temperatures will be very warm ahead of this system across much of the central U.S. Afternoon high temperatures today are forecast to be 15 to 30 degrees above average across much of the central and northern plains. A warm, moist, and unstable air mass will allow showers and thunderstorms to develop this afternoon across much of the central U.S., from Texas north to the Canadian border. The Storm Prediction Center is forecasting a slight risk of severe thunderstorms today and tonight across portions of the southern plains. Heavy rainfall and flash flooding are also possible across the southern plains today. Showers and thunderstorms will persist across the central U.S. into Tuesday and Wednesday as an upper-level low develops across northern Mexico, causing the eastward movement of the frontal boundary across the plains to slow. The threat for severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall/flash flooding will also persist across the same areas. The warm temperatures will spread east on Tuesday, with afternoon high temperatures forecast to be 10 to 25 degrees above average from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic and portions of the Northeast. Ryan Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php