Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 402 AM EDT Thu Apr 09 2015 Valid 12Z Thu Apr 09 2015 - 12Z Sat Apr 11 2015 ...Chance for severe thunderstorms in the southern Plains and middle Mississippi Valley on Thursday... ...Flash flooding a concern on Thursday for portions of the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley... ...Severe thunderstorms shift to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic by Friday... A strong front with the surface low in the Mississippi Valley will continue to progress south and eastward over the next few days. This front will help be the driving force for the very active weather pattern through the end of the work week. On Thursday, the cold front will push through from the Great Lakes to the southern Plains. Ahead of this front, warm, moist air from the East Pacific will create an unstable environment for the southern Plains and middle Mississippi Valley. Strong to severe thunderstorms will fire along and ahead of this cold front. For specific information on severe weather, consult the Storm Prediction Center. To the north, area of moderate rainfall will move ahead of the surface low through the Great Lakes and the Ohio Valley. Given the recent rainfalls in this area, flash flooding could be a concern. Precipitation from the Great Lakes and the Plains will begin to taper off by early hours of Friday morning. As the front continues to approach the East Coast and Southeast, showers and thunderstorms will also shift eastward. By Friday morning, strong to severe thunderstorms will move into the Deep South and Tennessee Valley. There could be some lingering showers and thunderstorms in Texas on Friday as the front sags southward toward Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast will continue to have the chilly, damp pattern throughout Thursday and Friday. However, once the front pushes through by Friday evening, conditions will quickly dry out. By Friday morning, showers will begin to move across the Pacific Northwest as a front approaches the coastline. Expect the precipitation to increase in coverage as the day goes on, and by Saturday the front will stretch across the northern Rockies along with precipitation. Fanning Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php