Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 254 AM EDT Wed Mar 13 2019 Valid 12Z Wed Mar 13 2019 - 12Z Fri Mar 15 2019 ...A major winter storm will produce numerous impacts across the Central U.S. from the Central Rockies...across all of the Plains...Mississippi Valley into the Upper Great Lakes... ...This storm will be responsible for heavy rains...severe thunderstorms...isolated flooding...heavy snows...blizzard conditions and high winds over the next two days across large portions of the Central U.S... ...Large temperature contrasts expected on either side of the storm with much above average temperatures ahead of the storm and much below average temperatures in its wake... A highly impactful winter storm will continue to intensify Wednesday in the lee of the Central Rockies...pushing eastward through the Central Plains Wednesday and into the Upper Mississippi Valley and Upper Great Lakes region on Thursday. The active thunderstorms on the south and southeast side of this storm will continue to push eastward out of the Southern Plains and into the Lower to Middle Mississippi Valley on Wednesday. Heavy rains...isolated flooding and severe weather will accompany these thunderstorms as they march fairly quickly eastward. Heavy snows will continue to expand in areal coverage and intensity on the northwest and northern side of this winter storm...supporting widespread heavy snows Wednesday into Thursday from the Central Rockies...east northeastward across the Central High Plains...portions of the Northern Plains into the Upper Mississippi Valley. As this storm intensifies on Wednesday...winds will increase significantly across large portions of Southern and Central Plains...eastern portions of the Northern Plains into the Upper Mississippi Valley. Where snow is falling with this storm...blizzard conditions are likely from northeast Colorado...western Nebraska...eastern Wyoming...central to western South Dakota...south central to eastern North Dakota into northwestern Minnesota. Away from the heavy snow regions on the southern side of this storm...very high winds will also affect large portions of the Southern to Central High Plains where high wind warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service offices across these areas. Sustained wind speeds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts over 60 mph are expected across most of New Mexico...western Texas...central to western Oklahoma...central to western Kansas and southeast Colorado. Large temperature contrasts will persist ahead of and in the wake of this storm over the next few days. Much above average temperatures are expected on the eastern side of the storm Wednesday from the Plains into the Mississippi Valley...Ohio and Tennessee Valleys...pushing eastward into the eastern U.S. Thursday and Friday. In contrast...much below average temperatures are expected on the western side of this storm across the Great Basin and Rockies on Wednesday...spreading eastward into Plains on Thursday and into the Mississippi Valley on Friday. Oravec Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php