Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 425 AM EDT Sun Mar 23 2014 Valid 12Z Sun Mar 23 2014 - 12Z Tue Mar 25 2014 ...Below normal temperatures spreading east from the central to the eastern U.S.... Below normal temperatures across the plains and Midwest will spread east into the eastern U.S. For most areas east of the Rockies, spring will be placed on hold as max temperatures run 10-20 degrees below normal today. The coldest air will continue to blanket the northern plains, upper Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast, where temperatures are expected to remain below freezing across much of the region over the next couple of days. Closer to the leading edge of the cold air, showers and thunderstorms will continue to advance south and east from the lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys through the southeastern U.S., with scattered showers persisting along the Gulf coast through the weekend. An upper disturbance moving into the northern Gulf on Monday is expected to spur both the development of some better organized storms along the central Gulf Coast into Florida, as well as an area of low pressure off of the Southeast coast that may significantly impact the mid Atlantic and Northeast as it rapidly intensifies just beyond the end of the short-range period. In addition to the below average temperatures, some light snows are possible across portions of the northern plains and upper Midwest as an upper disturbance drops southeastward out of western Canada. Dry and warm conditions will prevail for most areas west of the Continental Divide as a frontal system approaches the Pacific Northwest and northern California coasts, but remains offshore into the early part of next week. Pereira Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php