418
FXUS01 KWBC 301959
PMDSPD
SHORT RANGE FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD
358 PM EDT MON MAR 30 2026
VALID 00Z TUE MAR 31 2026 - 00Z THU APR 02 2026
...A COLD FRONT IS SET BRING STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE
MIDWEST, GREAT LAKES, AND PARTS OF THE NORTHEAST TODAY AND
TUESDAY...
...ABOVE-AVERAGE TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR MUCH OF THE
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN U.S. TO START THE WEEK, BEFORE A BRIEF
COOLDOWN BEGINS IN THE NORTHERN PLAINS MIDWEEK...
... A STRONG UPPER-LEVEL LOW MOVING THROUGH THE NORTHWEST WILL
BRING HEAVY MOUNTAIN SNOW ALONG THE MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS...
ACTIVE WEATHER IS SET TO BEGIN FOR MUCH OF THE NORTHERN PARTS OF
THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE MIDWEST, GREAT LAKES, AND PARTS OF THE
NORTHEAST, TODAY AND THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. A COLD FRONT
WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY MOVE OVER THE GREAT LAKES THIS AFTERNOON,
BRINGING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI
VALLEY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE STRONG TO SEVERE TODAY AND INTO THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS, AND WILL BRING THE POSSIBILITY OF LARGE HAIL. ON
TUESDAY, EVEN MORE PROGRESSION IS EXPECTED, AS A MID-LEVEL
SHORTWAVE TROUGH/WAVE WILL AID IN MOVING A COLD FRONT
SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE NORTHERN PLAINS. ONGOING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING, AND
ADDITIONAL STORMS WILL DEVELOP AND INTENSIFY ACROSS THE MIDWEST
AND GREAT LAKES, WHILE BEGINNING TO MAKE ITS WAY INTO THE
NORTHEAST. THUNDERSTORMS ON TUESDAY WILL ALSO HAVE THE POTENTIAL
TO BECOME SEVERE, BRINGING DAMAGING WINDS, HAIL, AND POSSIBLY A
TORNADO. AS SUCH, THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A SLIGHT
RISK (LEVEL 2/5) OF SEVERE WEATHER FOR MUCH OF THE MIDWEST AND
GREAT LAKES ON TUESDAY.
ABOVE-AVERAGE TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO CONTINUE FOR MUCH OF
THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE COUNTRY THROUGH THE MIDDLE
OF THE WEEK. TEMPERATURES IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS SPECIFICALLY WILL
APPROACH AND EXCEED 90 DEGREES TODAY, WITH WIDESPREAD 80S EXPECTED
IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND MUCH OF THE SOUTH/SOUTHEAST. NUMEROUS
RECORDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE TIED OR BROKEN ACROSS MUCH OF THE
PLAINS TODAY. ON TUESDAY, THE AFOREMENTIONED COLD FRONT WILL BRING
RELIEF FROM THE WARM TEMPERATURES, ALBEIT IN EXCHANGE FOR
UNSETTLED WEATHER.
FURTHER WEST, IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, A STRONG UPPER-LEVEL LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM AND AN ASSOCIATED FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL MOVE IN,
BRINGING SNOW AND WINTRY WEATHER BEGINNING TODAY. THE
EASTWARD-MOVING FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL THEN MAKE ITS WAY INTO THE
GREAT BASIN THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. THE HEAVIEST SNOW
AMOUNTS ARE PARTICULARLY POSSIBLE IN REGIONS OF HIGHER ELEVATION,
WITH THE HIGHEST TOTALS MOST LIKELY IN THE OR CASCADES.
MEANWHILE, TODAY, FIRE WEATHER WILL BE A CONCERN FOR THE PLAINS
INTO THE INTER-MOUNTAIN WEST. THERE IS A CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
THREAT IN WYOMING TODAY, AS LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY, BELOW 20%, AND
WINDS GUSTING OVER 25 MPH CONTINUE. ADDITIONALLY, ACROSS MUCH OF
THE PLAINS TODAY, THERE IS AN ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER RISK AS LOW
HUMIDITY WILL ALSO BE ACCOMPANIED BY GUSTY WINDS.
BLANCO-ALCALA
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