Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 227 AM EST Wed Dec 26 2018 Valid 12Z Wed Dec 26 2018 - 12Z Fri Dec 28 2018 ...Winter storm is expected from the Central Plains to the Upper Great Lakes... ...There is a slight risk of severe thunderstorms over parts of the Southern Plains... ...Heavy rain possible from the Southern Plains to the Southern Appalachians and Tennessee Valley... A strong storm over the Southern Rockies/Southern High Plains will move northeastward to the Middle Mississippi Valley by Thursday evening. The storm will spread heavy snow and gusty wind to much of the Central/Northern Plains and Upper Midwest Wednesday into Thursday. Showers and thunderstorms will develop along and ahead of the associated front over the Southern Plains that will move eastward to the Western Ohio Valley to the Lower Mississippi Valley by Thursday evening. Rain will develop over the Central Plains that will move northeastward into the Great Lakes/Ohio Valley by Thursday. Overnight Thursday areas of rain/freezing rain will develop over parts of the Northeast that will change over to all rain by Friday. In addition, lower elevation rain and snow will develop over parts of the Southwest/Southern Rockies with snow extending from the Central Rockies/Eastern Great Basin into the Northern Plains/Northern Rockies on Wednesday. Snow will move into parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley/Upper Great Lakes overnight Wednesday into Thursday. The snow and rain will end briefly over parts of the Southwest/Southern Rockies overnight Wednesday, too, before the next system on Thursday evening into Friday. Also overnight Wednesday, moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic will move into parts of the Southeast that will aid in the development of showers and thunderstorms over parts of the Southeast Thursday into Friday. Meanwhile, an area of upper-level energy along the Northwest Coast will move southeastward to the Great Basin/Southwest by Thursday evening forming an upper-level low. The energy will aid in producing rain and higher elevation snow over parts of the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday morning. The snow will expand inland to the Northern Intermountain Region/Great Basin overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning. The rain and snow will wane over parts of the Pacific Northwest/Northern Intermountain Region Thursday afternoon into evening. Snow will move into parts of the Southwest/Southern Rockies Thursday evening into Friday. Ziegenfelder Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php