Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 349 PM EDT Thu Mar 31 2016 Valid 00Z Fri Apr 01 2016 - 00Z Sun Apr 03 2016 ...Slight risk for severe thunderstorms from the central Gulf Coast to the Western Ohio Valley, with enhanced risk for the lower Mississippi Valley... ...Heavy rain possible over the central Gulf Coast, Southeast and Tennessee/Ohio Valley... ...Light snow over parts of the Upper Great Lakes/Upper Mississippi Valley and Northeast... An extensive, slow-moving cold front will continue to track through central and eastern U.S. over the next few days. Showers and thunderstorms will develop along and ahead of the advancing front from the Gulf Coast to the Ohio Valley, spreading to areas to the east on Friday and Saturday. The Storm Prediction Center has issued a vast area, mainly east of the Mississippi River, as having a slight risk for severe thunderstorms. The threat is higher for portions of the Lower Mississippi Valley for Friday, therefore an enhanced risk has been issued. The area of concern on Saturday spans from the central Gulf Coast to the Mid-Atlantic states. Theses storms could potentially have high rainfall rates, which increases the risk for flash flooding. Excessive Rainfall Outlooks have been issued for nearly the same areas as the slight risk areas. The front is expected to reach the East Coast by Friday night. Rain and light snow is forecast to spread from the Upper Mississippi Valley/Great Lakes to the Northeast. The northern portion of the system may intensify by Saturday afternoon. Once the front has moved off the coast, a low pressure center develops and rapidly deepens offshore of Maine. This would likely increase the potential for and the amounts of snow across New England this weekend. The Northern and Central Plains will be in an active patten through the weekend as a series of cold fronts track south and east. Snow will be possible for the higher elevations of Central/Southern Rockies through Friday late afternoon. Rain that developed over parts of the Northern/Central Plains today will expand into parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley tonight. The rain will change over to snow over the Upper Mississippi Valley during the overnight hours. Campbell Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php