Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 500 PM EDT Wed Apr 01 2015 Valid 00Z Thu Apr 02 2015 - 00Z Sat Apr 04 2015 ...A strong cold front is expected to bring strong thunderstorms across the upper Midwest...Mid-Mississippi Valley and into the Ohio Valley during the next couple of days... ...Much cooler air will spread southward across the northern and central Plains behind the cold front... As we head into the latter half of the week, the main area of unsettled weather will be moving across the northern and central part of the U.S. as a strong cold front sweeps across the central Plains tonight and into the Great Lakes towards the Ohio Valley on Thursday. Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected to develop ahead of the cold front. Rain associated with the thunderstorms will be heavy enough to increase the potential of flash flooding across the Ohio Valley on Thursday and Friday. By Friday morning, showers ahead of the cold front are expected to reach New England as the southward progress of the front slows down along the Ohio River and down into the southern Plains. Over the central Plains, very warm air this afternoon will be replaced by much cooler air from Canada behind the strong cold front. As a matter of fact, temperatures will be cold enough to support light snow and snow showers over the Intermountain West through Thursday night. In addition, meaningful snowfall can be expected in southeastern Wyoming and Colorado Thursday night into Friday morning as a wave of low pressure develops along the cold front and moves off into the central Plains. Elsewhere, dry conditions are expected to continue in California and the Desert Southwest. Much of the Deep South, the Gulf Coast, and the Southeast should remain mostly rain free through Friday morning as well. The Pacific Northwest should see rain showers this afternoon followed by dry conditions through Friday morning before moisture from the next Pacific front arrives later on Friday. Kong Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php