Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 349 PM EDT Tue Apr 16 2019 Valid 00Z Wed Apr 17 2019 - 00Z Fri Apr 19 2019 ...Severe thunderstorms and flash flooding will be possible for portions of the Southern Plains on Wednesday, shifting towards the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys on Thursday... Relatively quiet weather will remain across much of the lower 48 tonight as the nation will be sandwiched between storm systems. A strong low pressure center in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence will continue to slowly track off toward the east tonight. Thus, gusty winds from this system across New England will begin to die down. Scattered rain and snow showers will also linger across far northern New England with seasonably cool temperatures. The other impactful system is currently moving across the Western U.S. this afternoon and will continue to move east throughout the day. Expect periods of steady rain and higher elevation snow throughout the Rockies tonight. A portion of the upper level energy will track southeastward across the Southwest overnight and strengthen, while a northern portion moves into the Northern Plains. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will break out overnight from Nebraska/South Dakota eastward toward the Upper Midwest to the north of a warm front and ahead of an advancing low pressure center tracking toward Wisconsin. Farther south, a round of strong to severe thunderstorms is expected from southern/eastern Kansas, Oklahoma, and down into Texas for Wednesday. The Storm Prediction Center is forecasting an Enhanced Risk for severe storms on Wednesday for these areas, with a Slight Risk extending as far north as Iowa and western Illinois. Heavy rain will also be possible from these storms on Wednesday, with a Slight Risk for flash flooding in place from eastern Texas into western Louisiana and much of Arkansas. Some of these same locations experienced heavy rain over the past week and could be more sensitive to flooding from additional heavy rain from the upcoming storm system. As the the cold front and upper-level trough moves east, the severe weather and flash flooding threat shifts into the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys on Thursday. The Storm Prediction Center is forecasting an Enhanced Risk for severe storms on across Louisiana and southern Mississippi, with a Slight Risk extending as far north as southern Illinois. A Slight Risk for flash flooding also exists from the central Gulf States northward into the Tennessee Valley on Thursday, due to heavy rain and flood-prone soils. Snell Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php