Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 319 PM EDT Tue Apr 27 2021 Valid 00Z Wed Apr 28 2021 - 00Z Fri Apr 30 2021 ...Heavy rain and severe thunderstorms possible from the Southern Plains to the Ohio Valley through Thursday... ...Fire danger narrows to the Southern/Central High Plains this evening... ...Above average temperatures to be found across both the eastern and western United States... A busy spring weather pattern is in store for the central U.S. and portions of the East over the next few days. The focus for the active weather will be driven by an upper-level low currently located over the Southwest and a slow-moving frontal boundary that extends from the Northeast to the southern High Plains. The biggest weather hazard associated with this system will be multiple days of thunderstorms and heavy rain that will extend across a large section of the country from Texas to the Ohio Valley. The Storm Prediction Center has issued a slight risk of severe thunderstorms for three separate areas this evening. The areas of concern include central Wisconsin, portions of northeast Colorado, southwest Nebraska, and northwest Kansas, as well as much of the Southern Plains from south-central Texas to western Missouri. Damaging wind gusts and large hail may accompany the developing thunderstorms, with isolated tornadoes possible across the Southern Plains and central High Plains. Heavy rain could also lead to isolated flash flooding in these regions tonight. Meanwhile, high elevation snow is expected to continue across the central and southern Rockies through Wednesday afternoon. Winter Storm Warnings remain in effect across north-central Colorado for snow accumulations up to 12 inches. As the frontal boundary slowly inches eastward on Wednesday, additional thunderstorms and multiple rounds of heavy rain are forecast to occur from the Southern Plains to Ohio Valley. The best chance for severe weather will be confined to central Texas and Oklahoma, where SPC has highlighted the region as having a slight risk of severe thunderstorms. However, thunderstorms will impact other areas and are likely to bring summer-like downpours across the Ohio and Lower/Middle Mississippi valleys. Thus, WPC has issued a Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall across a large area from southwest Ohio to south-central Texas. Through Thursday night, as much as 2 to 4 inches of rain could fall across this region, with locally high amounts possible. This could lead to instances of scattered flash flooding for locations that receive multiple rounds of heavy rain. Elsewhere across the Lower 48, much of the West, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast will remain dry through Thursday. High temperatures will soar 10 to 20 degrees above average and into the 80s on Wednesday and Thursday throughout the Mid-Atlantic and interior Northwest. Fire weather will also remain a concern through this evening across the southern and central High Plains, where Red Flag Warnings have been issued. Snell Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php