464 
FXUS01 KWBC 232001
PMDSPD

Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
359 PM EDT Thu Apr 23 2026

Valid 00Z Fri Apr 24 2026 - 00Z Sun Apr 26 2026

...Thunderstorms forecast for the Upper Midwest and
central/southern Plains with severe weather and isolated flash
flooding possible...

...Gusty winds and warm, very dry conditions will lead to a
Critical Risk of fire weather across much of the central/southern
High Plains through Friday...

Showers and thunderstorms will continue to be widespread across
portions of the south-central U.S. through Saturday afternoon. The
greatest coverage is expected to be from eastern Kansas to
Alabama, where deep moist surging north will intercept an incoming
frontal boundary from the Plains.  Rainfall totals on the order of
1-3 inches will be possible from central Arkansas to central
Mississippi, and this is where the potential for flash flooding
will be greatest where storms develop across the same areas. 
There is also a Slight Risk of severe storms across this same
general area on Friday, and an Enhanced Risk of severe storms is
valid across portions of Kansas and Oklahoma on Saturday as
stronger dynamics and instability overlap.  There will be an
additional area of moderate to heavy rainfall from Iowa to the
Upper Peninsula of Michigan through Friday afternoon.

Temperatures will continue to be warmer than average for late
April from the central Plains to the Mid-Atlantic on Friday, with
highs well into the 80s from Virginia to the Southeast U.S., and
trending slightly cooler going into Saturday. Areas to the north
of a frontal boundary across the Northeast U.S. should remain
considerably cooler with flow off the Atlantic Ocean and more
cloud cover.  Meanwhile, a much colder airmass will ooze southward
from Canada behind the strong cold front, and affect Montana and
the Dakotas with March-like temperatures to close out the work
week along with some snow showers.

Elsewhere across the country, fire weather will be making
headlines from Colorado to the Mexico border with gusty winds and
very low humidity amid ongoing drought, with critical conditions
across eastern Colorado on Friday.  Red flag warnings are in
effect for many of these areas.  Winter storm warnings remain in
effect for portions of the northern Rockies through Friday for
heavy snow, followed by improving conditions by the weekend as the
main storm system departs the region.

Hamrick


Graphics available at
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php




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