Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 242 AM EDT Wed May 31 2017 Valid 12Z Wed May 31 2017 - 12Z Fri Jun 02 2017 ...Severe thunderstorms possible for portions of the Northeast and the central plains today... ...Above average temperatures expected for the northern Great Basin and northern Rockies A cold front will move across the lower Great Lakes this morning, reaching the northeastern U.S. by this afternoon. Ahead of the front, showers and thunderstorms are expected. Severe thunderstorms are possible across portions of the Northeast this afternoon, per the latest Day 1 Convective Outlook from the SPC. Scattered showers and storms will also be possible farther south, across the Appalachians and the Mid-Atlantic ahead of the front. Drier and somewhat cooler conditions will prevail by Thursday across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast as the cold front moves offshore. The trailing end of this cold front, stationary across the central plains today, will result in the potential for an area of showers and thunderstorms late this afternoon into tonight from the central plains to the mid-Mississippi valley. Some storms could be severe in this area as well. Farther south, another stationary front, this one quickly weakening, will still provide a focus for scattered areas of showers and thunderstorms today and Thursday from Texas to the Southeast, with locally heavy rain possible. An upper-level ridge that has been prevalent along the West Coast the past few days is beginning to shift east, and will continue to do so through the next couple days. The above average temperatures experienced in the Northwest the past few days will shift east to the northern Great Basin and northern Rockies today, with high temperatures expected to rise well into the 80s to near 90 for many areas. These temperatures are 10 to 20 degrees above average. By Thursday, these temperatures will continue the eastward migration, reaching the northern High Plains. In the Pacific Northwest, an upper-level trough overhead will result in cooler temperatures today; and the arrival of a Pacific cold front Wednesday night will cool temperatures further (to near or slightly below climatologic norms) as well as bring the potential for a few areas of showers and thunderstorms later today into Thursday. Ryan Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php