758 FXUS01 KWBC 031950 PMDSPD Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 249 PM EST Tue Mar 03 2026 Valid 00Z Wed Mar 04 2026 - 00Z Fri Mar 06 2026 ...Frontal system to bring showers and potentially strong thunderstorms between the southern Plains and Ohio Valley over the next few days... ...Potent cold front to cross the western U.S. and Rockies by midweek, producing gusty winds and mountain snowfall... ...Above average temperatures are forecast to become widespread across the Nation this week, with potential record-breaking warmth spreading from the southern Plains to the Southeast... An active weather pattern is in store for many locations between the southern Plains and Northeast over the next several days as a frontal boundary and waves of low pressure meander over the region. On the colder side of the front, a wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain will advance northward into the Northeast this afternoon and eventually New England tonight. This wintry mix is expected to remain mostly light in magnitude, but can still lead to areas of slippery travel. Along and south of the boundary, numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected through the afternoon and evening from the southern Plains to the Ohio Valley. The repeating nature of some showers and thunderstorms may lead to over an inch of rainfall and isolated flash flooding across the Ohio Valley, with strong to severe thunderstorms possible from the Texas Panhandle to central Missouri and western Illinois. By Wednesday, a weak area of low pressure is forecast to develop along the aforementioned frontal boundary and push northeastward from the central/southern Plains to the Midwest. This will allow for a cold front to push southeast across the southern Plains and clash with warm humid air lifting northward from the Gulf. Thunderstorms forming along and ahead of this cold front could be severe from northeast Texas, to the Ozarks, to southern Illinois where the Storm Prediction Center has issued a Slight Risk (level 2/5) of severe weather. The main threats from these storms include damaging wind gusts and large hail, though an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out. Meanwhile, additional rounds of showers and isolated thunderstorms are forecast throughout the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast into Thursday as a warm front slowly advances northward. Meanwhile, a strong storm system and fast-moving cold front is set to develop and cross the western U.S. mid to late week. This system will bring gusty winds and mountain snowfall to much of the region. Heavy snow is possible in most mountain ranges spanning from the Cascades to the central Rockies, along with the potential for low elevation snowfall following the cold frontal passage. As the storm ejects eastward into the central Plains, additional bouts of severe weather are likely Thursday and Friday. Even though the West experiences a cooldown through midweek, much of the central and eastern U.S. can expect increasingly springlike temperatures. This is particularly the case south of the frontal boundary as widespread highs into the 70s span from the central Plains to the central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic by Thursday and Friday. Highs into the 80s are forecast across the southern Plains this afternoon, which could break several daily records. This record warmth will then expand into the Southeast mid to late week with high temperatures surging into the 80s once again. Several additional daily records are likely to be broken. Meanwhile, north of the boundary, cloud cover and showers likely keep temperatures stuck in the 40s and 50s across parts of the Northeast. Miller/Snell Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php $$