Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 324 AM EDT Wed Apr 24 2019 Valid 12Z Wed Apr 24 2019 - 12Z Fri Apr 26 2019 ...Severe Thunderstorms and heavy to excessive rainfall possible across Texas on Wednesday, and into the Lower Mississippi Valley/Gulf Coast by Thursday... ...Near record temperatures possible across parts of California and the Desert Southwest... Ongoing heavy rainfall and strong to severe thunderstorms across central Texas this morning will continue drifting slowly south and eastward today (Wednesday). The greatest chance for severe weather and heavy to excessive rainfall will be across central and eastern Texas where both WPC and SPC have highlighted this region within a slight risk for flash flooding and severe thunderstorms, respectively. This system will shift into the Lower Mississippi Valley by Thursday with again a threat for severe weather and heavy rainfall, mainly concentrated along the central Gulf Coast. Showers and thunderstorms, with locally heavy rainfall, will also extend northward Wednesday and Thursday into parts of the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys along a slow moving frontal boundary to the north. Temperatures across much of Texas on Wednesday will be relatively chilly with afternoon highs 10 to 20 degrees below average (particularly across western and central Texas), with warmer air arriving by Thursday. Elsewhere, a low pressure system lifting through New England will bring rain or a rain/snow mix to the region on Wednesday, while a cold front dropping through the Northern Rockies will allow for showers and thunderstorms to spread across the Northern/Central Rockies on Wednesday, and into the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest by Thursday. Temperatures across much of the West and into the Northern and Central Plains will be very warm through the short range as an upper level ridge expands across the region. Daytime and nighttime temperatures averaging 10 to 20+ degrees above normal would approach record values (mainly across parts of California and the Desert Southwest). Santorelli Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php