Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 252 AM EST Sat Mar 9 2019 Valid 12Z Sat Mar 9 2019 - 12Z Mon Mar 11 2019 ...Strong low pressure system is expected to produce a variety of significant weather impacts across the central and eastern part of the nation this weekend... The weather will be quite active across a large part of the nation this weekend as a large low pressure system develops and intensifies across the Plains and then tracks northeastward across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region by Sunday morning. This is in response to a strong upper level shortwave approaching from the Rockies early Saturday. The atmospheric ingredients will be in place for a major winter storm from Nebraska to Wisconsin, and the potential exists for blizzard conditions across much of the eastern Dakotas and central Minnesota as the pressure gradient tightens and winds increase to over 35 mph. Winter storm warnings are currently in effect from southeast Montana to western Wisconsin, and some of these areas could get 6 to 12 inches of snow with locally higher amounts. Farther south and east, heavy rain and severe thunderstorms will be making weather headlines as a warm and humid air mass surges northward from the Gulf of Mexico ahead of the cold front. The storms that develop will become capable of producing strong winds, large hail and also some tornadoes from the central Gulf Coast to the Ohio Valley through Saturday evening. Elevated fire weather conditions will also be present across eastern New Mexico and western Texas on Saturday with dry air and gusty winds. Elsewhere, the eastern U.S. will generally be cooler than normal through Saturday, followed by a warm-up by Sunday ahead of the storm system approaching from the Midwest, but one exception will be the Northeast where high pressure arriving from southeast Canada will keep temperatures notably colder. Rain is likely for parts of central and northern California with an offshore low pressure system tracking west of the region. D. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php