Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 205 PM EST Fri Jan 10 2020 Valid 00Z Sat Jan 11 2020 - 00Z Mon Jan 13 2020 ...Severe thunderstorms, heavy rain, flooding, accumulating ice and heavy snow expected across the central and eastern states today and into the weekend.... ...Temperatures will be 10 to 25 degrees above average over the Southern Plains/Lower Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley/Great Lakes... ...Heavy snow once again possible in higher elevations of the Northwest... A potent winter storm will bring a plethora for types of weather hazards to much of the central U.S. and portions of the Northeast. Severe thunderstorms, heavy rain and flash flooding will impact a vast portion of south-central states. Numerous flood warnings and flash flood watches are in effect from northeast Texas to western New York. A mix of rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow is expected from the Central Plains to the Great Lakes region. Winter storm warnings, winter weather advisories and winter storm watches are in effect from northern Texas to Maine. Heavy rain in the range of 1 to 3+ inches is expected from the Southern Plains northeastward to the Great Lakes. Due to the slow progression of this system, storm motion will be slow and expected to track over the sames area. This will become become problematic as soils become saturated. A moderate risk of excessive rainfall is forecast over parts of Eastern Oklahoma and neighboring states. The rain will produce numerous flash flooding will occur with many streams being flooded and floods affecting larger rivers. Additionally, the Storm Prediction Center has forecast a Moderate Risk of severe weather for parts of the Southern Plains to Lower Mississippi Valley. Light to moderate snow over the Intermountain West and Rockies will spread eastward. A wintry mix of snow, sleet, and rain/freezing rain is possible in portions of the Southern/Central Plains into the Middle Mississippi Valley and northeastward into the Great Lakes Friday into Sunday as temperatures fall. The heaviest rain/freezing rain is forecast over parts of Great Lakes Saturday into Sunday. A stark temperature gradient will setup over the country thanks to the strong front over the Central U.S. into the Great Lakes. In the warm sector ahead of the front, daily temperatures will average 10 to 25 degrees warmer than typical early January readings. Numerous records are expected to be broken from the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys into the Northeast. In contrast, the western half of the country will be much colder than usual as a cold front and secondary cold front reinforces the frigid airmass. On Friday, high temperatures in the single digits are forecast for the north-central tier of the nation. The Pacific Northwest will have another low pressure system approach the region on Friday, which will amplify the precipitation. Coastal areas will have periods of moderate rain while higher elevations of the Cascades, Northern Great Basin and the Northern Rockies will have heavy snow. Snow accumulations may very well reach or exceed 2 feet in the highest peaks of the Cascades, around 1 foot elsewhere. Campbell/Ziegenfelder Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php