Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 359 AM EDT Sat Apr 15 2017 Valid 12Z Sat Apr 15 2017 - 12Z Mon Apr 17 2017 ...Showers and thunderstorms with locally heavy rain possible from portions of the mid/upper Mississippi valley to the Great Lakes... ...Severe thunderstorms possible for portions of the southern/central plains... ...Above average temperatures expected for much of the central and eastern U.S. through the weekend... Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are forecast from the central Plains to the Northeast this weekend as a frontal system tracks east through the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region. Precipitation persist into Monday along the northern-tier states as another frontal system moves southward from the Canadian Prairie Provinces -- with the higher amounts focusing over the eastern Dakotas and western Minnesota. Embedded areas of higher rainfall may increase the risk for flash flooding. WPC has an excessive rainfall outlook highlighting a marginal risk for flooding across portions of the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region over the next few days. Farther to the south, scattered thunderstorms will likely develop across the southern and central Plains where a dry line has set up. The Storm Prediction Center has identified that conditions will be favorable for strong to severe thunderstorm development for this area and from the Upper Mississippi valley to the central Plains along the axis of the advancing front. By Sunday, the cold front will move east into the Ohio valley and the Northeast, bringing areas of showers and thunderstorms to those regions. The tail end of the front will become slow-moving or stationary from the southern plains to the Mid-Mississippi valley, keeping areas of showers and storms in the picture for those areas through Sunday. Across the West, mountain snows and valley rains have largely diminished across the northern Rockies and the Cascades however a few lingering showers will be possible this morning at the highest elevations. Another round of precipitation will spread from the West Coast inland to the Great Basin and Intermountain West by Sunday as a Pacific frontal system approaches. Snow will be possible at the higher elevations. Above seasonal average temperatures will continue for much of the central and eastern states this weekend as high pressure at the mid and upper levels remains rooted in place. Highs of 10 to 20 degrees above average are forecast across much of the Ohio Valley,Great Lakes region and the Northeast. Portions of the Northeast could be as much as 25 degrees above average on Sunday. The northwestern U.S. will start the weekend with temperatures 5 to 10 degrees below average as an upper trough passes overhead. Temperatures will moderate for much of the region by Sunday, however. Below average temperatures may persist across northern California into Sunday as the next round of precipitation begins to overspread the region. Campbell/Ryan Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php