Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 332 AM EDT Sat Apr 12 2025 Valid 12Z Sat Apr 12 2025 - 12Z Mon Apr 14 2025 ...Weather system tracking across the West will bring the chances for thunderstorms, rain showers, and mountain snow this weekend ... ...Elevated and Critical fire weather conditions forecast for the Southern Plains and parts of the Southwest Saturday and Sunday... ...Above normal high temperatures for the Great Basin and Southwest to remain for the weekend before cooling off... Energy along a cold front moving across the Mountain West will bring the chance for light to moderate snow accumulations to the higher terrain across the northern Rockies. A couple of inches of snow is in the forecast for parts of the region for Saturday into Sunday. For areas in lower elevation and valleys, there is the potential for some locally strong thunderstorms that may bring the threat for gusty winds across portions of the Black Hills and Big Horns for South Dakota, Wyoming, and southern Montana. Precipitation chances and thunderstorm chances will shift eastward with the system across the north Plains and upper Midwest on Sunday and Monday. An area of low pressure should begin to form and deepen near the Great Lakes on Monday, which will bring an increase in winds and perhaps some wintry weather on the backside of the low pressure across Minnesota and Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Across the southern Plains, a surface low should begin to develop over the Plains ahead of a trough moving across the West. Winds could gust in the 15-25 mph range as a result of the forming pressure gradient. Additionally, relative humidities will be very low Saturday and Sunday as a result of dry air and warm temperatures that will promote favorable fire weather conditions. The Storm Prediction Center has a Critical Fire Weather Outlook accordingly for the weekend. Florida also has elevated fire weather concerns today as low relative humidity, wind gusts in the low teens, and dry fuels will be present in the wake of a cold front passage early Saturday morning. Highly above average temperatures will hang on for the weekend as southerly flow persists ahead of the western storm system. Temperature anomalies may be as high as 20-25 degrees above average for this time of the year. High temperatures will near 100, a few sites could pass the century mark, across the Desert Southwest on Saturday and reach the middle 90s on Sunday. Highs in the 90s and 80s will be felt across the majority of Texas and northwards across the central Plains. The Mountain West should see cooler highs in the 40s and 50s behind the cold front passage. The east coast is in a very different weather pattern as general troughing persists, and a coastal low brings rain showers . Rain showers should be on the decline in coverage Saturday and especially Sunday as the coastal low exits the region, but temperatures will be on the cool side as highs in the 40s and 50s will be common across the Northeast. Warmth across the Plains should begin to enter the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic starting Sunday as a warm front begins to move across the country. River flooding is occurring along the Mississippi River as water drains down the basin from the multi-day storm last week. Several sites remain in Moderate and Major flood stage. Pay attention to local officials for local information. Wilder Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php