Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 352 AM EDT Thu Sep 26 2019 Valid 12Z Thu Sep 26 2019 - 12Z Sat Sep 28 2019 ...Significant fall storm to bring heavy snow and strong winds over portions of the Northern Rockies... ...Heavy rain and severe thunderstorms possible across the Central Plains and Middle Mississippi Valley on Friday... ...Well above-normal temperatures to continue across parts of the South and East through the weekend... A developing low pressure system and strong cold front will move across the Northern Plains and Rockies today before entering the Upper Midwest and Central Plains by Friday. This system will produce strong, gusty winds from western into central Montana, where High Wind Warnings are in effect. The aforementioned cold front will become the focus for strong to severe storms, with heavy rain, as it moves east on Friday. WPC has issued a Slight Risk of excessive rainfall from eastern Kansas to southern Michigan Friday. The Storm Prediction Center has issued a Slight Risk for severe thunderstorms across roughly the same area. Another area that could see locally heavy rain will be across the Desert Southwest once again today. Scattered showers and thunderstorms could become heavy at times and lead to flash flooding across southern Nevada, southeastern California, and western Arizona. A Flash Flood Watch remains in effect here through this evening. This will most likely be the last day of notable rain across the Southwest after a very wet week. The first day of fall might have been a few days ago, but the Northern Rockies are skipping straight into winter. An upper low dropping into the Pacific Northwest late Friday is forecast to foster the beginning of what is expected to become a significant and possibly historic early-season snowstorm across portions of the northern Rockies. Cold air will filter into the region behind the cold front today, with generally scattered rain and snow showers across the region. Widespread precipitation is expected to break out by Friday night and Saturday morning as an area of low pressure develops to the south between Salt Lake City and Idaho Falls. Winter Storm Watches have been issued across portions of northwestern Montana, where 1 to 3 feet of snow and blizzard conditions are possible. The heaviest snow and most extreme conditions are forecast to occur on Saturday and Sunday. Meanwhile in the southern and eastern U.S., summer-like temperatures will continue, with well above-normal temperatures expected from the Southern Plains to the Southeast and along the East Coast through the weekend. Record-breaking heat is expected across parts of the Southeast as temperatures climb well into the 90s today and Friday. While the Southeast will remain warm, some cooling is forecast for parts of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic as the front moves offshore on Friday. However, warm air surging north ahead of the next system will move from the Midwest on Friday into the eastern U.S. by the weekend. Snell Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php