EXTENDED FORECAST DISCUSSION NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD 1153 AM EDT TUE MAY 13 2014 VALID 12Z FRI MAY 16 2014 - 12Z TUE MAY 20 2014 THE BLOCKING REGIME AT THE MEDIUM RANGE LIMITS THE AREAS OF OPEN FLOW ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH AMERICA TO THE EXTENT THAT MODEL SPREAD IS LESS THAN AVERAGE. ANY NUMBER OF COMBINATIONS OF THE 00Z/13 GUIDANCE COULD WORK FOR THE CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATES. CHOSE AN EVEN BLEND OF THE 00Z/13 ECMWF AND ECENS MEAN FOR THE FRONTS AND PRESSURES, WHICH CAPTURES SOME OF THE FINER SYNOPTIC DETAIL OF THE TRENDS OVER THE PAST FOUR MAJOR DATA CYCLES. THE NORTHWEST, NORTHERN ROCKIES, CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PLAINS, MIDWEST, TENNESSEE VALLEY, MID ATLANTIC AND NORTHEAST LOOK COOL AND WET, WHILE THE DESERT SOUTHWEST AND TEXAS LOOK HOT AND DRY--WITH THE HEAT SPREADING EASTWARD ACROSS THAT REGION LATER IN THE FORECAST. SEVERAL INCHES OF LIQUID-EQUIVALENT QPF ARE LIKELY IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE NORTHWEST AND ROCKIES, WITH WIDESPREAD 2-4" IN THE MID ATLANTIC AND NORTHEAST UNDER THE PIVOTING FRONTAL ZONE. CISCO