Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 356 AM EDT Wed May 08 2019 Valid 12Z Wed May 08 2019 - 12Z Fri May 10 2019 ...Severe weather and flash flooding are likely in parts of the Plains and Mississippi Valley for Wednesday and Thursday... ...Heavy snow is possible in higher elevations of the Rockies, while a few inches of snow is possible near Lake Superior... A potent front that has been lingering in the Central Plains and Middle Mississippi Valley over the past couple of days will begin to move today as a low tracks northeast--a warm front will lift northward east of the low, while a cold front moves through the Central/Southern Plains and Rockies over the next couple of days. A significant moisture plume from the Gulf of Mexico will flow into the frontal system, causing widespread heavy rain and potentially severe thunderstorms. Today, there is a Moderate Risk of excessive rainfall and an Enhanced Risk of severe weather for the ArkLaTex region. Tornadoes, wind, hail, and flash flooding are all possible there. Slight Risks of severe weather and flash flooding both extend into the Central Plains and parts of the Middle Mississippi Valley today as well. On Thursday, the Moderate Risk of flash flooding will be located along the Western Gulf Coast as the cold front shifts southeast, and a Slight Risk of severe thunderstorms is in place for the Lower Mississippi Valley. Showers and thunderstorms will extend into the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys and the Southeast on Thursday ahead of the front, reaching the Eastern Seaboard on Friday. The main front across the country will delineate much above and much below average temperatures. On the cold side of the front, the Rockies, Northern/Central Plains, and Midwest to Upper Great Lakes can expect below average temperatures, pushing into the Southern Plains on Thursday as well. High temperatures are forecast to be 20 to 35 degrees below average in the Central High Plains. South of the warm front, high temperatures of 10 to 15 degrees above average are forecast in the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys. The Northeast is expected to remain cool due to a backdoor cold front. Meanwhile, record-setting heat is forecast in the Pacific Northwest as upper-level ridging builds. Due to widespread cold temperatures in the aforementioned regions, late-season snow is expected in northeastern Minnesota, far northern Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where a few inches of snow could accumulate. Snow is also likely in the West, and accumulating snow could be heavy for higher elevations. The Central Rockies in particular are forecast to receive over a foot of snow, with the Sierra Nevada, Wasatch, and Wind River Mountains expecting closer to 4 to 8 inches of snow. Tate Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php