Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 455 PM EDT Thu Apr 24 2014 Valid 00Z Fri Apr 25 2014 - 00Z Sun Apr 27 2014 ***Thunderstorms from the Midwest to the East coast through Friday*** ***Active weather pattern for the Western U.S.*** ***Remaining colder than average across the northern tier states*** There will be two main weather systems affecting the continental U.S. through Saturday. The first system is currently affecting the Central U.S. with showers and thunderstorms extending from the Upper Midwest to the Deep South. This spring-like low-pressure system will have a warm sector associated with it, and conditions will be favorable for the development of strong to locally severe thunderstorms from Missouri to the Carolinas through Friday evening. Farther to the north across the Great Lakes and the Upper Midwest, mainly light to moderate rainfall is expected on the north side of the surface low tracking across the Ohio Valley. Temperatures will warm quickly across the Southern and Central Plains for Friday and Saturday out ahead of another storm system moving into the western United States. An upper level trough will amplify across the West on Friday while a cold front slowly moves through the Intermountain region. Scattered rain showers will change to snow showers, mostly across the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada and Sawtooth ranges where locally heavy snowfall is likley. Lower elevations out West will stay mostly rain, with snow mixing in depending on elevation. As the upper level disturbance continues east on Saturday, the beginning of an active severe weather setup appears likely, with threats continuing through the weekend. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php