Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 418 AM EDT Fri Apr 16 2021 Valid 12Z Fri Apr 16 2021 - 12Z Sun Apr 18 2021 ...Snow over the central High Plains gradually tapers off later today while higher elevations wet snow spreads across the interior Northeast... ...Focus of showers and thunderstorms shifts from the southern Plains today to along the Gulf Coast during the weekend... An upper-level low responsible for the snow across the central Rockies and nearby High Plains will slowly weaken as it heads toward the Ohio Valley during the next couple of days. The snow currently in these areas will gradually taper off as the day progresses. Some of the snow is expected to linger over the Colorado Rockies and then drift south into New Mexico during the weekend near a frontal boundary. Meanwhile, a swath of rain will move eastward across the central Plains while some embedded strong thunderstorms move through eastern Texas into the lower Mississippi Valley. As the upper low moves toward the Ohio Valley, the focus of showers and thunderstorms will shift from the southern Plains today to along the Gulf Coast during the weekend. The highest chance of seeing heavy rainfall will be from central to eastern Gulf Coast as a low pressure wave forms along a nearly stationary front and then tracks eastward. Meanwhile, a compact coastal storm is developing just off the New England coast ahead of an upper-level low moving very slowly to the east across the lower Great Lakes. The storm will result in gusty winds and locally heavy rainfall across southeastern New England today. Farther inland, the presence of colder air will result in higher elevation wet snow across interior New England where 4 to 10 inches of accumulations are expected today. The storm is forecast to gradually move eastward into the Gulf of Maine on Saturday as the precipitation over New England slowly tapers off. Cool and damp conditions should continue into Sunday due to a lingering surface trough. Elsewhere, lighter rain will move across portions of the Ohio/Tennessee Valleys, the central Appalachians and into the Southeast on Saturday. Over parts of the Southwest and Southern Rockies, dry and windy weather will help elevate the risk of wildfire today. By Sunday morning, the next surge of cold air from Canada should reach the northern High Plains where mixed rain and snow develop along with gusty winds and falling temperatures. Kong Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php