Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 352 AM EDT Fri Apr 14 2017 Valid 12Z Fri Apr 14 2017 - 12Z Sun Apr 16 2017 ...Warmer and drier trend for the Pacific Northwest by the weekend... ...Thunderstorms, possibly severe, along with heavy rain are forecast to spread from the central Plains to the Great Lakes ... ...Above normal temperatures will prevail from the central Plains eastward into the Appalachians... Precipitation will decrease and temperatures will warm up across the Pacific Northwest as surface high pressure slowly builds into the region. This trend will be short-lived -- a low pressure system will develop over the Pacific Ocean and will track toward the West coast by the end the weekend. This will result in another round of showers, possibly mountain snow, by early next week. Precipitation will spread across the Northern Rockies today as a cold front moves into the northern/central High Plains and is forecast to gradually taper off on Saturday. The southern portion of the front will pass through the Southern Rockies and into the Southern/Central Plains where it will interact with a moist and warmer than average airmass -- providing an ideal environment for thunderstorm development. Embedded areas of heavy rain will be possible and may lead to flash flooding. The Storm Prediction Center has a slight risk for severe storms along the front today over the Texas panhandle/western Kansas and from western Oklahoma to southern Iowa on Saturday. Please refer to the SPC Convective Outlooks for additional information on severe weather. High pressure will be in place over much of the East this weekend. This will provide above normal temperatures over the interior sections. Persistent east to northeast wind in association with the surface high near New England will keep cooler air in place for areas east of the Appalachians. Campbell Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php