Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 300 AM EST Sat Feb 27 2021 Valid 12Z Sat Feb 27 2021 - 12Z Mon Mar 01 2021 ...Widespread rain and thunderstorms could cause flooding across portions of the Lower/Middle Mississippi, Tennessee, and Ohio Valleys to the Central Appalachians through the weekend... ...Snow in the Northwest and the Northeast should wind down today, but a round of light to moderate snow is possible in the north-central CONUS... Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms are possible over the next few days across portions of the central and eastern U.S. near meandering frontal boundaries and as moisture streams in from the Gulf of Mexico. In particular, through Sunday night, rainfall of 1 to 3 inches with locally higher amounts is likely stretching from parts of the Lower/Middle Mississippi Valley into the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys and the Central/Southern Appalachians. This rain will lead to flooding and flash flooding concerns, especially where rain falls on already wet ground from previous and ongoing rainfall. Slight Risks of excessive rainfall are in place through the weekend for these areas, along with Flood Watches in the Lower Ohio Valley to Central Appalachians. Additionally, the Storm Prediction Center has outlooked Marginal Risks of severe weather for the next couple of days, given that storms could be strong to severe. After a snowy couple of days particularly in higher elevations of the Northwest, snow is forecast to wind down there by this afternoon. However, as the system moves east, some snow or mixed precipitation is forecast to affect the Northern/Central Plains and make its way into the Upper Midwest and Upper Great Lakes region tonight. A swath of snow around 3 to 6 inches is possible, along with a light glaze of freezing rain just to the south of the snow axis in the Upper Midwest. In the Northeast, some snow and light freezing rain is expected today, with snow amounts of 4 to 8 inches in portions of Maine, where there are Winter Weather Advisories in effect. Another round of light snow could spread into the interior Northeast by Monday morning. Elsewhere, fire weather is a concern across portions of the Southern High Plains today, and Red Flag Warnings are in place there. Gusty winds are possible in the southwestern U.S. and parts of California in particular, so scattered Wind Advisories and High Wind Watches are in effect. In terms of temperatures, cooler than normal temperatures will persist in the Great Basin and Rockies through the weekend, dropping southeastward into the Desert Southwest and central/southern portions of the High Plains Sunday as a cold front pushes through. Meanwhile, above normal temperatures are likely for the eastern half of the country this weekend. Highs of 10 to 20 degrees above average will be common, with low temperatures even milder, as warm moist air comes into the Southeast from the Gulf. Daily record high maximum and minimum temperatures could be set in the Gulf Coast states and toward the Southern Appalachians. Tate Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php