Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 400 PM EDT Sat Apr 02 2016 Valid 00Z Sun Apr 03 2016 - 00Z Tue Apr 05 2016 ...Unsettled weather with significant late-season snow possible over the Great Lakes on Sunday, moving into New England on Monday... ...Rain and high-elevation snow for the northwestern part of the U.S. by Monday... An unseasonably cold airmass of Arctic origin has been spreading southward in the past few days as an amplified upper-level trough becomes established over the eastern part of North America. The leading edge of the arctic air has reached the northern Plains and the Great Lakes regions this morning where temperatures dropped rapidly below freezing with winds gusting to 50mph in this wake. A fast-moving low pressure system strengthening along the arctic front will drive the arctic air rapidly through the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region tonight and early on Sunday. The active and energetic nature of this system could produce a brief period of heavier rain changing to snow which could be accompanied with strong and gusty winds especially across New England. Even after the system has moved out to sea later on Sunday, much of the Eastern Seaboard will experience very strong wind gusts. Meanwhile, another fast-moving low pressure system is developing in Alberta, Canada. This system is expected to intensified and spread snow rapidly across the Great Lakes on Sunday and through central New England on Monday. It appears that significant snow could fall along a narrow band from the Great Lakes eastward through central New England before the storm moves out to sea later on Monday. Out West, an upper-level high pressure ridge will remain in control today, with most areas remaining dry. A few scattered thunderstorms are possible during the afternoon across the interior Northwest as a weak upper-level disturbance moves across. By Sunday afternoon, the next cold front will begin to spread rain and high elevation snow into Pacific Northwest. The precipitation is forecast to penetrate well inland into the northern Rockies on Monday. Kong Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php