Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 225 AM EST Fri Mar 11 2016 Valid 12Z Fri Mar 11 2016 - 12Z Sun Mar 13 2016 ...Heavy rain likely from Texas to Mississippi... ...More rain and mountain snow for the West Coast... Additional heavy rainfall and strong thunderstorms are in the forecast across the south-central U.S. through the end of the week and into Saturday. The anomalous upper low that has been over Mexico is now slowly lifting northward and weakening some. On the eastern side of this disturbance is a pronounced southerly inflow from the Gulf of Mexico, and heavy rainfall is expected where this flow intersects a frontal boundary at the surface. Multiple rounds of heavy rain will only exacerbate ongoing flooding issues, and some areas may get a few more inches of rain through Saturday. Our QPF discussions will have additional details concerning the heavy rainfall forecast. Across the western U.S., a series of frontal systems progressing eastward will bring multiple periods of rain and mountain snow through the weekend. The heaviest snow is likely for the Cascades and the Sierra Nevada ranges. Windy conditions are expected for coastal areas with wind gusts exceeding 50 mph at times. Mild weather is expected to continue for the eastern U.S. with highs in the 60s and 70s expected on Friday, which is well above seasonal averages. D. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php