Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 326 AM EDT Fri Apr 12 2019 Valid 12Z Fri Apr 12 2019 - 12Z Sun Apr 14 2019 ...Blizzard conditions to wind down today across the north-central U.S., leaving unseasonably cold temperatures through the weekend... ...Severe thunderstorms and heavy rain expected from eastern Texas into the Lower Mississippi Valley on Saturday... The strong storm system responsible for bringing 1-2 feet of snow to portions of Nebraska and South Dakota will lift north into Canada today while weakening. However, gusty winds will remain a concern along with falling snow this morning reducing visibilities and creating blizzard conditions from eastern South Dakota into southeastern North Dakota and western Minnesota. Additional snowfall after sunrise will be greatest across northeastern Minnesota where an additional 2-4 inches is expected, with lighter accumulations elsewhere. High temperatures for today will be a solid 20 to 30 degrees below mid-April averages from Nebraska into South Dakota, Minnesota and northwestern Iowa with a gradual moderation into Sunday but remaining below average. The other big story will be tied to a spring storm forecast to impact portions of the southern U.S. for the weekend. An upper level disturbance will pass over Arizona and New Mexico today bringing higher elevation snow to the Four Corners states. The greatest accumulations should fall in the Sangre de Christo Mountains of northern New Mexico where roughly 6-12 inches are forecast. Low relative humidities and gusty winds across portions of West Texas including Big Bend National Park will again lead to favorable conditions conducive to the spreading of wildfires today. A little farther east, rain will develop tonight across central/northern Texas into Oklahoma as the upper level system tracks east. Also, some wet snow is likely for the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles Saturday morning as temperatures fall into the 30s. Heavy rain with the possibility of flash flooding will set up from the ArkLaTex into the middle and lower Mississippi Valley on Saturday where 2-4 inches of rain will be possible. There is also a Moderate Risk of severe thunderstorms (via the Storm Prediction Center) in place from portions of far eastern Texas into northern Louisiana, southern Arkansas and far west-central Mississippi. All severe hazards will be possible including tornadoes, large hail and straight line winds. Locally heavy rain with embedded thunderstorms will translate east during the day on Sunday toward the East Coast where temperatures will remain a little above average. Across the Pacific Northwest, a brief lull in unsettled weather will occur late today and tonight before the next storm system reaches the coast early Saturday morning. This next system will be a quick-mover bringing modest amounts of rain and higher elevation snow to interior portions of the Northwest for Saturday and Saturday night. Otto Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php