Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 216 PM EDT Wed Sep 10 2014 Valid 00Z Thu Sep 11 2014 - 00Z Sat Sep 13 2014 ***Strong cold front brings major temperature changes*** ***Wintry weather for parts of the northern Rockies*** ***Numerous showers and storms ahead of front*** A major pattern change is underway across the country as a cold and pristine airmass from Canada is pushing a strong cold front southeastward across the Plains and Great Lakes region. The anomalously large high spreading southward into the northern U.S. is more reminiscent of November instead of early September, and the potential exists for record low temperatures from the northern Rockies to the Upper Midwest for the end of the week. The cold air will continue working its way towards the southern Plains and Ohio Valley by Thursday evening, although it will modify some by that time. Another facet of this unusually strong front will be wintry weather across the northern Rockies and into parts of the northern Plains. Localized heavy snow is likely for the higher elevations of Montana, where winter storm warnings are currently in effect. Periods of rain and snow are likely across the lower elevations, with winter weather advisories and freeze warnings in effect. Elsewhere across the continental U.S., widespread showers and thunderstorms are likely ahead of this cold front across the central and southern Plains, and extending to the Mid-Atlantic region. A few severe storms are likely across the eastern U.S. on Thursday in the warm sector of the developing surface low that is forecast to track into eastern Canada. Quiet weather is expected for the West Coast through the end of the week with no major weather systems expected. D. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php