Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 226 PM EDT Thu Sep 26 2019 Valid 00Z Fri Sep 27 2019 - 00Z Sun Sep 29 2019 ...Early season snowstorm with heavy snow and strong winds likely for the Northern Rockies... ...Huge temperature contrasts across the nation. Much below average temperatures from the Pacific Northwest, Northern Great Basin, California and into the Northern Rockies and Northern High Plains. Much above average temperatures expected from the Central to Southern Plains, eastward into the East... ...Heavy rain, localized flash flooding and severe thunderstorms possible across the Central Plains and Middle Mississippi Valley on Friday... The battle of the seasons will be underway across the nation over the next few days with much below average temperatures developing from the Pacific Northwest, Great Basin, California, into the Northern Rockies and Northern High Plains, while much above average temperatures dominate from the Central to Southern Plains into the East. An amplifying mid to upper level low will be the main driver of the cold Western U.S. weather pattern over the next few days as it deepens across the Pacific Northwest and Northern Great Basin, spreading much below average temperatures as far south as Southern California and eastward into the Great Basin, Northern Rockies and Northern High Plains. This system will also be responsible for the developing major winter storm across the Northern Rockies into the Northern High Plains beginning Friday night and continuing through the weekend. The greatest snowfall totals expected across northwest Montana where 1 to 3 feet of snow is forecast, along with high winds that will produce blizzard conditions. While the worst winter weather is expected over the Northern Rockies this period, record low maximum temperatures are possible Friday and especially Saturday across the Pacific Northwest, Northern Great Basin and through all of California. The opposite of the early season winter weather and record low high temperatures over portions of the West will be occurring from the Central to Southern Plains into the East where summer weather will continue to dominate into the first weekend of Fall. Widespread much above average temperatures expected across these areas, with the beginning of a stretch of potentially record high temperatures lasting into next week for areas from the Southeast, Tennessee Valley, Ohio Valley and Mid Atlantic. In between these two anomalous air masses, a surface cold front will be the focus for heavy rains, isolated flash flooding and severe thunderstorms on Friday across portions of the Central Plains into the Upper Mississippi Valley and portions of the Great Lakes. Oravec Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php