Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 359 AM EDT Wed Apr 03 2019 Valid 12Z Wed Apr 03 2019 - 12Z Fri Apr 05 2019 ...A deep low pressure system could continue to cause precipitation and gusty winds in New England early Wednesday... ...Severe thunderstorms possible for the Southern Plains today and the Lower Mississippi Valley on Thursday... ...Critical risk of fire weather for both the Southern High Plains and parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast... A strong low pressure system east of the Atlantic coast will continue moving northward today into Nova Scotia. On the backside of the low, some light rain and snow is possible in New England, particularly on Wednesday morning. High winds will also be a concern due to the tight pressure gradient from the low, with hurricane force winds ongoing over open water. Though certainly weaker than hurricane force, gusty winds are also expected over the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Wednesday, and with dry air in place, fire danger is likely--Red Flag Warnings are in effect and the Storm Prediction Center has outlooked a Critical area of fire weather. An upper-level trough moving through the Four Corners region on Wednesday, the Central/Southern Plains Wednesday night, and the Middle/Lower Mississippi Valley on Thursday will cause precipitation across these areas. A Slight Risk of severe weather is in place for parts of the Southern Plains on Wednesday ahead of a surface low pressure system, and as the low moves eastward, severe weather is expected for the Lower Mississippi Valley on Thursday. Locally heavy rainfall is also possible on Thursday across the Lower Mississippi Valley to Southeast. Farther west, behind a dryline associated with the low, a Critical risk of fire weather is also in place for the Southern High Plains. To the north, rain and some light snow will spread across the Northern Plains to Upper/Middle Mississippi Valley over the next couple of days. Precipitation totals should be about an inch or less, but any precipitation there could exacerbate ongoing flooding across that region. Precipitation is expected to shift eastward into the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys on Thursday and into the Eastern Seaboard by Friday morning. The western U.S. is expected to be warm in terms of low temperatures on Wednesday, with some record high minimum temperatures likely to be tied or broken. Additional energy approaching the West on Thursday will lead to increasing precipitation chances (lower elevation rain and higher elevation snow) in the West Coast to Intermountain West, pushing into the Rockies by Friday morning. Tate Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php