Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 358 PM EDT Thu Apr 02 2020 Valid 00Z Fri Apr 03 2020 - 00Z Sun Apr 05 2020 ...A nor'easter will edge westward closer toward New England, bringing strong winds, rain, interior wet snow as well as coastal flooding to the Northeast... ...Heavy snow, freezing rain, and cold temperatures will spread eastward across the north-central U.S. through Friday... ...Chance of heavy rain increases over central and eastern Texas Friday into Saturday... As previously noted, frontal progressions across the U.S. and the surrounding waters will be atypical over the next few days as a result of a higher latitude blocking pattern. For the Northeast, a Nor'easter will retrograde toward the coast sending a warm front westward through New England. Rain along with a wintry mix in the higher terrain will spread toward the Great Lakes/Ohio Valley region. Higher tides, strong winds and coastal flooding is also expected with this feature. A strong cold front will slowly progress through the Northern Plains and widespread snow and wintry precipitation will accompany it across the north-central U.S. Cold Canadian air will filter into the region behind the front, bringing temperatures to well-below average for early April. Numerous Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings are in effect from Colorado to Minnesota. Freezing rain is expected from the eastern portions of the Dakotas into western Minnesota before changing over to all snow. Many areas across northern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin could have accumulations of 6 or more inches of snow. Rain and thunderstorms is expected across the Plains and Mississippi Valley along and ahead of this strong cold front. Rainfall amounts and intensities will be the greatest over portions of central and eastern Texas as this region will have a nearly continuous feed of Gulf moisture into the frontal boundary. WPC has highlighted this part of the state as having a Marginal Risk for Excessive Rainfall through Saturday. The storm Prediction Center has noted this same general area as having a Slight Risk for severe weather and there is critical fire weather across most of New Mexico and extreme western Texas Campbell Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php