Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 249 AM EST Sat Mar 11 2017 Valid 12Z Sat Mar 11 2017 - 12Z Mon Mar 13 2017 ...Colder than normal across much of the nation with wintry weather expected for some places... The warm weather a couple of days ago is now just a memory as much colder weather has settled in across much of the central and eastern U.S. An upper level ridge of high pressure will build in over the West which will allow a deep trough to remain in place over the central and eastern states. Arctic air will continue to spill southward across the Plains and eastward to the Mid-Atlantic coast, resulting in January-like temperatures. Many locations will observe temperatures that are easily 10 to 25 degrees below seasonal averages, with perhaps a few record lows in jeopardy. It's a different story for the southwestern U.S., where the ridge building in will result in dry conditions with mild to warm temperatures. Now that the snow has departed the northeast U.S., attention now turns to a developing surface low over the northern Gulf of Mexico along the frontal boundary. Widespread rainfall is expected to develop across the southern Plains and the Deep South, with the greatest amounts expected across coastal areas of southeast Texas and southern Louisiana. Some strong thunderstorms will also be possible across this region. Farther to the north on the northern edge of the precipitation, a band of light snow is likely from northern Arkansas to the southern Appalachians. Campbell/D. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php