Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 355 PM EDT Fri Apr 03 2015 Valid 00Z Sat Apr 04 2015 - 00Z Mon Apr 06 2015 ...Heavy rains and strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys on Friday... ...Accumulating snowfall expected in northern New England by the weekend... A cold front sweeping across the eastern U.S. will bring a variety of weather types with it. Strong south to southwesterly flow is supplying ample moisture to fuel thunderstorm development ahead of the cold front across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys this afternoon. Some storms could be severe, especially from the Tennessee Valley to the lower Mississippi Valley. Conditions are favorable enough to warrant a tornado watch across a portion of the region this afternoon. As we move into the overnight hours a strengthening jet aloft and approaching short wave energy will lead to a broadening precipitation shield along the cold front into the Northeast and Mid Atlantic. Much colder air filtering into the Northeast behind to cold front will transition rain to snow across Upstate New York and northern New England. Winter weather advisories are in effect across portions of northern New England with moderate accumulations possible. The tail end of the cold front clearing the Eastern Seaboard will stall out over the western Gulf. The lingering frontal boundary should bring some scattered showers and thunderstorms into Texas this weekend. Out West...a weakening frontal boundary approaching the coast will bring rain and higher elevation snow from the Pacific Northwest to the northern Rockies late Friday into Saturday. Krekeler/Gerhardt Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php