Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 402 PM EST Sat Dec 24 2016 Valid 00Z Sun Dec 25 2016 - 00Z Tue Dec 27 2016 ...Heavy snow possible over the Northern Plains... ...Rain and freezing rain is possible over parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley... ...There is a slight risk of severe thunderstorm over parts of the Central Plains on Christmas... ...Temperatures will be 15 to 25 degrees above average over parts of the Central/Southern Plains, Middle/Lower Mississippi Valley, and into the Tennessee Valley... A strong storm over the Great Basin will move northeastward to the Upper Mississippi Valley by Monday. The system will produce snow over the Northern Rockies, Great Basin, and Southwest with rain at lower elevations over parts of the Great Basin and Southwest on Saturday evening. Overnight Saturday, snow will develop over parts of the Northern Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley and continue through Monday. Also overnight Saturday, snow will move into parts of the Southern/Central Rockies. The snow will end over Southwest and most of the Great Basin by evening on Christmas while the snow will end over the Central/Southern Rockies by late Christmas night. In addition, a region of rain/freezing rain will develop over parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley on Christmas through evening on Christmas. Additionally, showers and thunderstorms will develop over parts of Eastern Texas and the Lower Mississippi Valley on Saturday evening that will move northwestward into the Southern/Central Plains by Christmas morning that will retreat back to the Lower Mississippi Valley by evening on Christmas. Rain will also develop over parts of the Tennessee Valley/Central Appalachians by evening Saturday. Rain will develop over parts of the Middle Mississippi Valley by Christmas morning. Rain will extend from the Southern Plains to the Middle Mississippi Valley and Ohio Valley by evening on Christmas. By Monday morning the rain will extend from the Great Lakes to parts of Eastern Texas/Lower Mississippi Valley. Elsewhere, snow and rain over the Northeast will end overnight Saturday. Ziegenfelder Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php