Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 412 AM EDT Sat Apr 04 2020 Valid 12Z Sat Apr 04 2020 - 12Z Mon Apr 06 2020 ...Heavy showers and thunderstorms to persist across central and southern Texas today... ...California braces for significant Pacific storm system to produce copious amounts of rain and mountain snow this weekend and Monday... ...Nor'easter departs this morning, cool temperatures across the Plains on Saturday will rebound to more spring-like levels by Sunday... A potent cold front sweeping across south Texas and into northern Mexico early this morning will help to diminish the severe threat on Saturday. However, persistent southwesterly flow aloft with embedded upper level disturbances will aid in additional showers and thunderstorms throughout the from central and southern Texas to Arkansas and Louisiana. Rainfall rates could be high within heavier showers and thunderstorms and may promote the threat for localized flash flooding in parts of south Texas. Shower and thunderstorm activity is expected to taper off Saturday night with only a few stray showers and thunderstorms possible across Texas on Sunday and into Sunday night. The next weather headliner is a deep and anomalous upper trough that will slam into California this weekend. Through Monday, rainfall totals in the valleys and coastal areas of Oregon and California will ranger between 1 to as much as 3 inches. There is the potential for flash flooding along the coast of Central and Southern California Sunday and into Monday. In the higher elevations snow will start in the Sierra Nevada on Saturday, then fall and accumulate at a rapid pace on Sunday. Travel is expected to become treacherous with whiteout conditions possible. Heavy snow will continue into Monday and begin to gradually taper off Monday night. By Tuesday morning, portions of the Sierra Nevada are forecast to receive anywhere from 1 to as much as 4 feet of snow with locally higher amounts possible in the highest elevations. Winter Storm Warnings and Watches have been issued for most of the Sierra Nevada. In addition to the heavy precipitation totals, temperatures are likely to remain below normal throughout the weekend and into the start of the upcoming week. The nor'easter that has generated heavy showers, strong wind gusts, and coastal flooding is heading east deeper into the northwest Atlantic this morning. This should make for drier conditions along much of the East Coast Saturday with seasonally mild temperatures on tap. Further west, the Plains will start out the weekend on a cool note but moderating temperatures are likely to take shape on Sunday. By Monday, temperatures from the front range of the Rockies to the East Coast are forecast to feel more like early May than early April. Temperatures will continue to warm up across the Heartland and into most eastern regions on Tuesday with 80s for highs possible in parts of the Midwest. Mullinax Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php