Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 400 PM EDT Fri Sep 20 2024 Valid 00Z Sat Sep 21 2024 - 00Z Mon Sep 23 2024 ...Heavy rainfall and Severe Weather threat looms across portions of the Central/Southern Plains, Middle Mississippi Valley and Upper Midwest this weekend... ...Lingering showers for parts of southern New England/Massachusetts Cape through Saturday morning... ...Much below normal temperatures over portions of the Southern High Plains and Central Plains while above average temperatures spread from Mississippi Valley into the Midwest... Aloft, a closed low pressure system will lift from the Southwest into the Great Plains this weekend. A cold front will be the focus for showers, thunderstorms and anomalously cool weather over portions of the Central U.S.. Tonight, showers and thunderstorms will continue across the Southern High Plains. A Slight Risk of Severe Thunderstorms is in effect across parts of eastern New Mexico and west Texas. Clustered storms may produce large hail, sporadic strong/severe gusts, and a tornado or two, according to the Storm Prediction Center. The heavy/excessive rainfall and severe thunderstorm threats shift into the Central/Southern Plains and Middle Mississippi Valley on Saturday as the surface cold front interacts with moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Temperatures are likely to fall precipitously on the backside of the cold front over portions of the Southern High Plains and Central Plains beginning Saturday. High temperatures in the 50s will represent 15 to 30 degree departures from average for the aforementioned areas. Above average temperatures will be in place across the Midwest and Southeast this weekend as upper-level ridging centered over the western Gulf Coast remains in place. Elsewhere, rain showers will continue across southern New England/the Massachusetts Cape tonight through Saturday morning. Kebede Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php