Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 400 AM EDT Wed Apr 16 2025 Valid 12Z Wed Apr 16 2025 - 12Z Fri Apr 18 2025 ...Snow and strong winds spread from Northern Rockies today to Southern Rockies by the weekend... ...Critical Fire Weather Risk returns to Southern High Plains/Southwest today... ...Severe Weather returns to Central U.S. beginning Thursday... ...Well above average temperatures in the Central U.S.... Snow showers should come to an end over the Lower Great Lakes this evening while the associated upper-level low spins off into the Canadian maritime. Below average temperatures persist through this evening as surface high pressure moves in. Meanwhile, an amplifying upper trough will pivot over the Rockies and send a strong cold front surging southward through the region. Moderate to heavy mounain snow and strong winds are expected to expand from the Montana ranges today into northwestern Wyoming on Thursday, followed by Colorado by Friday. The heaviest snowfall totals are likely over portions of southern Montana into Wyoming where 1-2 feet, isolated higher amounts, are probable by Thursday morning. Widespread moderate to isolated major impacts are expected from the combination of snow and wind. Cooler air filters into the Rockies and Intermountain West behind the cold front, leading to well below average temperatures for the region late this week. An upper ridge over the Central U.S. will continue to stream warm southerly air into the Great Plains today and gradually shifting eastward over the next few days. Temperatures in the 80s and 90s will represent 20-30 degree warm anomalies over parts of the Central/Southern Plains for this time of year. An amplifying pattern over the Four Corners will support a migration of very dry conditions eastward into the Southern High Plains late this week. Kebede Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php