Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 409 AM EDT Fri May 08 2020 Valid 12Z Fri May 08 2020 - 12Z Sun May 10 2020 ...Severe storms in the Lower Mississippi Valley & periods of rain across the Ohio Valley today, heavy rain possible in South Florida on Mother's Day... ...Arctic blast to make for a chilly & blustery Mother's Day Weekend for most eastern regions, measurable snowfall possible in the Northeast and Great Lakes... ...Near record heat continues along the West Coast today and Saturday... Today, a storm system over the Southern Plains will drift east sparking additional showers and thunderstorms along the storm's associated cold front. There is the potential for some storms to become severe in the Lower Mississippi Valley where a Slight Risk has been issued by the Storm Prediction Center. Storms could also lead to locally heavy downpours and a chance for some flash flooding. The cold front will sweep across the Southeast Friday evening leading to a mostly dry and very cool weekend for most southern residents. Some spotty showers and storms are possible in South Texas early on, but the front is likely to stall out over South Florida sometime Saturday evening. A disturbance over Mexico is forecast to track into the Gulf of Mexico late Saturday and ignite heavy showers and thunderstorms over southern Florida on Mother's Day. The weather pattern the next several days is summarized with an amplifying jet stream pattern across North America. Along and east of the Mississippi River, an Arctic air-mass is expected to usher in cold temperatures and blustery conditions this weekend. Numerous Freeze Watches and Warnings have been posted from the Midwest to the Northeast with record low temperatures possible over the weekend, most notably Saturday morning. In addition to the winter-like temperatures, parts of the Great Lakes, Appalachians, and Northeast will witness wintry precipitation Friday evening and into Saturday as a surface low pressure system rapidly intensifies off the New England coast Saturday morning. Snow could fall heavily at times with several inches of accumulating snowfall possible in the northern and central Appalachians. Temperatures will moderate slightly but remain well below normal across much of the eastern U.S. on Mother's Day. While moms in the East try to keep warm, moms in the West will bask in summer-like conditions throughout the weekend. This is due to an extensive upper-level ridge stationed over the West Coast and Great Basin. Parts of central and northern California could break daily record high temps today with the Pacific Northwest getting its chance for daily record heat on Saturday. Abnormally warm temperatures will look to stick around through Mother's Day but cooler temperatures look to return next week. Mullinax Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php