Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 211 AM EST Thu Dec 21 2017 Valid 12Z Thu Dec 21 2017 - 12Z Sat Dec 23 2017 ...Heavy rain across the South and more cold weather on the way... A strong upper level disturbance and surface low pressure currently over the Rockies is forecast to reach the southern Plains by Friday. A swath of heavy rain is expected to develop from northeast Texas Friday afternoon and extend to Tennessee and Kentucky by Saturday. Abundant Gulf of Mexico moisture will surge northward and be lifted by a strong cold front and upper jet stream support. Several inches of rainfall is likely within this corridor and this would be enough to warrant flooding concerns for some areas. Some strong to severe thunderstorms will also be possible across parts of Texas and the Deep South. The other big story making weather headlines late this week will be the much colder temperatures enveloping much of the north-central U.S. as a large upper level trough becomes established over the region. Some of the coldest weather of the season thus far is forecast across the Dakotas and extending eastward to Minnesota, with widespread teens and even single digits for highs and lows near zero. Heavy snow is expected for the central and northern Rockies, and a band of moderate snow from northern Michigan to New England on Friday. D. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php