Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 405 AM EDT Sun Apr 04 2021 Valid 12Z Sun Apr 04 2021 - 12Z Tue Apr 06 2021 ...Much warmer than normal temperatures in the western and central U.S. will support Elevated Risks of fire weather... ...Precipitation is expected for the Northwest beginning today and increasing in the central U.S. Monday... The southwestern to north-central U.S. can continue to expect warm temperatures over the next couple of days underneath broad upper-level ridging. The Desert Southwest should see temperatures in the upper 90s and nearing 100 degrees, while 80s are forecast for northern/central portions of the Plains--about 20 to 30 degrees above average for the Dakotas and Nebraska. Several daily high temperature records could be set. These warm temperatures combined with dry soils, low relative humidity, and gusty winds will lead to the potential for fire weather. Per the Storm Prediction Center, today's Fire Weather Outlook indicates an Elevated Risk across parts of Montana and central portions of the High Plains. On Monday, the risk should shift to portions of Nevada into the Four Corners region. Meanwhile, the southeastern U.S. will see one more cold morning today, and Frost Advisories are in place for portions of the Southeast, Carolinas, and Tennessee/Ohio Valleys. After generally dry weather over the past few days, precipitation chances are expected to increase beginning in the Northwest today as an upper-level trough/low comes in and pushes a surface front through the region. Rain and snow will spread across the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies today and slowly southwestward tonight and Monday, affecting the Central Rockies and Northern/Central High Plains. Snow totals in higher elevations are forecast to be 4 to 8 inches through Monday night. Also on Monday and Monday night, rain and thunderstorms are expected for the Central Plains and Midwest in the vicinity of a frontal system. Strong thunderstorms are possible, with the current Storm Prediction Center outlook showing a Marginal Risk of severe weather for wind and hail threats centered in Minnesota on Monday. Elsewhere, precipitation is likely over Maine through Monday, where rain and snow could wrap around from a slow-moving surface low pressure system in the Atlantic. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are also possible in the south-central U.S., and a few isolated thunderstorms could be strong to severe ahead of a dryline in the Texas Panhandle Monday. Tate Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php