Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 351 PM EDT Mon Oct 29 2018 Valid 00Z Tue Oct 30 2018 - 00Z Thu Nov 01 2018 ...Heavy snows for portions of the central Rockies on Tuesday... ...Rain and storms developing and advancing east from the Great Lakes to the southern Plains on Tuesday... ...Wednesday evening wet weather threat extending from the Northeast to the Gulf Coast and across the Northwest to the northern Rockies... A frontal system currently extending from the northern Plains back into the Great Basin will continue to push further south and east over the next few days, bringing rain and storms to portions of the Midwest and central U.S., as well as heavy snows to parts of the central Rockies. As the front moves further south and east on Tuesday, showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop from the Great Lakes back into the southern Plains. Meanwhile, heavy snows will begin to develop across portions of the Colorado into the north-central New Mexico mountains. Winter Weather advisories and Winter Storm watches are currently in effect for portions of the region. Showers and thunderstorms will continue to advance east into the lower Mississippi, Tennessee and Ohio valleys on Wednesday. Some of these storms may become strong to severe, especially during the afternoon and evening hours across the southern Plains and lower Mississippi valley, with the Storm Prediction Center highlighting the threat with a Slight Risk for severe weather. The threat for heavy to excessive rainfall amounts is also expected to increase during this period, with the Weather Prediction Center indicating a Slight Risk for excessive rainfall extending from portions of Northeast Texas and the lower Mississippi into the Ohio valleys. By Wednesday evening, the threat for rain and storms will extend from the Northeast back to the western and central Gulf Coast -- which may possibly hamper any outdoor activities. Warm air surging north ahead of the front will support above-normal temperatures from the southern Plains into the Midwest on Tuesday, before shifting further east into the Mid-Atlantic and portions of the Northeast on Wednesday. Much colder air behind the front will result in below-normal temperatures spilling southeast from the Great Basin and central Rockies into the southern Rockies and High Plains on Wednesday. Across the Northwest into the northern Rockies, scattered precipitation will continue into Tuesday before more organized precipitation returns to the region on Wednesday ahead of a warm front. The threat for low elevation rains and mountains snows is expected to continue across the Northwest and northern Rockies, while spilling east into the High Plains Wednesday evening. Across much of California, dry weather continues, with gusty winds supporting elevated fire weather conditions across a wide swath of the state on Tuesday. Pereira Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php