394 FXUS01 KWBC 180709 PMDSPD Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 308 AM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026 Valid 12Z Sat Apr 18 2026 - 12Z Mon Apr 20 2026 ...Widespread showers and thunderstorms expected from the Northeast to the Gulf Coast Saturday with a risk of severe weather and isolated flash flooding... ...Dry and gusty post-frontal conditions will lead to a fire weather threat over portions of the central and southern High Plains this weekend... ...Sweeping cold front bringing a dramatic cool down across the central to eastern U.S. this weekend following a week of unseasonably warm temperatures... Widespread showers and thunderstorms will continue ahead of a cold front today (Saturday) pushing eastward through the Interior Northeast southwest through the Ohio/Tennessee/Lower Mississippi Valleys and into Texas. Stronger wind fields aloft with an approaching upper-trough over portions of the Lower Great Lakes into the Upper Ohio Valley will lead to sufficient shear for more robust thunderstorms capable of severe weather. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has maintained a Slight Risk (level 2/5) mostly for the threat of damaging wind gusts, but some large hail and a tornado are also possible. In addition, an isolated flash flood risk will exist as well, both with these more intense storms moving through the Lower Great Lakes as well as further south across portions of the Lower Mississippi Valley to western Gulf Coast where deeper Gulf moisture will be present for heavier rainfall. The storms will reach the East Coast overnight Saturday and into early Sunday morning, with most locations drying out by mid-day as the front clears the coast. A wintry mix will be possible for higher elevations of the Interior Northeast as the cold front passes through, though any accumulations should remain very light and limited. The front is expected to slow and stall in vicinity of south Texas, where thunderstorms will continue throughout the day and likely into Monday as well, posing an isolated flash flood risk. An approaching Pacific system will begin to bring some showers to the coastal Pacific Northwest Sunday before spreading southward towards northern California by early Monday. Precipitation chances should ramp up into the day Monday with some isolated flooding possible. Gusty, dry post-frontal conditions across portions of the central/southern Plains have prompted a Critical Risk of fire weather (level 2/3) from the SPC for central/western Nebraska today and southwest Kansas, southeast Colorado, northeast New Mexico, and the Oklahoma/Texas Panhandles Sunday. The noted cold front will continue to bring a dramatic cool down to much of the central to eastern U.S. following a week of well above average, very warm temperatures. Much colder, below average highs will spread throughout the Midwest (40s and 50s) and the central/southern Plains (60s) today. Regions from the Mississippi Valley east will see one more warmer day with highs in the 60s and 70s in the Ohio Valley/Northeast and 80s south through the Mid-Atlantic into the Southeast. The cold front will sweep through most regions by Sunday morning dropping high temperatures into the 40s and 50s for the Northeast, 50s and 60s through the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley, and 60s and low 70s into the Southeast. Warmer temperatures in the 80s will hold out a bit longer along the Southeast Atlantic coast into Florida Sunday before highs drop into the 70s Monday. Meanwhile, a warm-up will commence across the western U.S. as an upper-ridge builds over the region. Forecast highs across the Interior West will jump from the 50s and 60s today into the 60s and 70s Sunday. Well above average highs will gradually spread into the northern/central Plains as well with highs reaching into the 80s for some locations by Monday. The West Coast will remain more temperate with highs holding in the 60s in the Pacific Northwest and 60s and 70s in California this weekend, while the Desert Southwest will see highs into the low 90s. Putnam Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php $$