Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 450 PM EDT Thu Mar 19 2020 Valid 00Z Fri Mar 20 2020 - 00Z Sun Mar 22 2020 ...Heavy snow likely in the Central Rockies with some snow spreading across the Plains... ...Heavy rain and severe thunderstorms expected in the central and eastern U.S. ahead of a cold front... ...Much below average temperatures in the West and much above average temperatures in the East... A developing low pressure system in the Central High Plains will create busy weather today across much of the U.S. North of the low, snow is forecast to continue across the Central Rockies, where an additional foot or more of snow is possible in higher elevations. A swath of lighter snow should spread into the Central/Northern Plains, along with some light freezing rain. High winds due to a tight pressure gradient between the low and a surface high to the north could create blizzard conditions for southeastern Wyoming, northeastern Colorado, and western Nebraska. Meanwhile, rain and thunderstorms are expected east of the cold front associated with the low and in the vicinity of its warm front. Today, these thunderstorms will be most widespread in the Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley. A couple of Enhanced Risks for severe thunderstorms are in place today from the Storm Prediction Center in those regions, along with a Slight Risk of excessive rainfall/flash flooding. On Friday, the cold front should press east and south, moving showers and thunderstorms into the East. A few strong storms can be expected in parts of the Ohio Valley to Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Higher rainfall totals will be located from the Lower Mississippi Valley into the Tennessee Valley, so localized flash flooding is possible there Friday. The aforementioned cold front will get reinforced by another cold front today, creating quite the temperature divide between cold to the west and warm to the east. Today, highs 10 to 20 degrees below average are forecast for the Northern High Plains with an encroaching Canadian cold high pressure system, as well as California to the Southwest. East of there, warmth will be widespread, with temperatures 10 to 25 degrees above normal forecast for the Mississippi Valley to much of the Eastern Seaboard. Widespread record temperatures, particularly record high minimum temperatures, are expected over the next couple of days in the central and eastern U.S. On Friday, the cold front sweeping across the Plains should cool temperatures considerably--from highs in the 70s and 80s today to highs in the 40s and 50s in Kansas and the Southern Plains, for example. Tate Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php