Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 358 AM EDT Wed Apr 02 2014 Valid 12Z Wed Apr 02 2014 - 12Z Fri Apr 04 2014 ...There is a slight risk of severe thunderstorms over parts of the Middle/Lower Mississippi Valley and Central/Southern Plains... ...Heavy rain possible across portions of the Middle/Lower Mississippi and Ohio Valleys... An East-West front will develop across the Mid-Atlantic westward to the Central/Southern Plains through Thursday evening. Moisture flowing northward out of the Gulf of Mexico will overrun the boundary producing showers and thunderstorms over parts of the Central Plains/Middle Mississippi Valley that will expand southward into the Southern Plains/Lower Mississippi Valley by Wednesday evening then moving into the Middle/Lower Mississippi Valley and the Central Gulf Coast by Thursday. Rain will develop over parts of the Ohio Valley and expand eastward into the Mid-Atlantic by Thursday evening. Meanwhile, a front over the Northern/Central Rockies will move into the Middle Mississippi Valley by Thursday. The system will produce snow over parts of the Northern/Central Rockies and parts of Pacific Northwest will expand into the Northern Plains Central/Southern Rockies by Wednesday evening. Additionally, rain will develop over parts of the Central Plains by Wednesday evening, too. On Thursday, snow will move into the Upper Midwest, with patches of rain/freezing rain over parts of the Upper Great Lakes. The snow over the Central Rockies will taper off by Thursday evening. Elsewhere, onshore flow will aid in producing rain and highest elevation snow over parts of Central/Southern California on Wednesday morning. In addition, an approaching front over the Eastern Pacific will begin to produce coastal rain and highest elevation snow over parts of the Pacific Northwest on Thursday. Ziegenfelder Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php