308
FXUS01 KWBC 020746
PMDSPD
SHORT RANGE FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD
345 AM EDT THU APR 02 2026
VALID 12Z THU APR 02 2026 - 12Z SAT APR 04 2026
...RAIN/FREEZING RAIN FROM THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY/NORTHERN
PLAINS TO THE NORTHEAST...
...HEAVY SNOW OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS/UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ON
THURSDAY...
...THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK (LEVEL 3/5) OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
OVER PARTS OF THE UPPER/MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ON THURSDAY AND
FRIDAY...
LOW PRESSURE OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL MOVE NORTHEASTWARD TO
NORTHERN MAINE BY FRIDAY EVENING. THE SYSTEM WILL PRODUCE SHOWERS
AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF THE UPPER/MIDDLE
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND UPPER GREAT LAKES ON THURSDAY. THEREFORE,
THE SPC HAS ISSUED A SLIGHT RISK (LEVEL 2/5) OF SEVERE WEATHER
OVER PARTS OF THE UPPER/MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND GREAT
LAKES/OHIO VALLEY THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED
WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE FREQUENT LIGHTNING, SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS, HAIL, AND A FEW TORNADOES.
MOREOVER, SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO DEVELOP OVER THE
CENTRAL/SOUTHERN PLAINS, MOVING INTO THE MIDDLE/LOWER MISSISSIPPI
VALLEY ON THURSDAY. RAIN DEVELOPS ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY INTO THE
NORTHEAST AND THE MID-ATLANTIC. BY THURSDAY EVENING, SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER PARTS OF THE CENTRAL/SOUTHERN
APPALACHIANS.
IN ADDITION, NORTH OF THE LOW, A WINTER STORM IS UNFOLDING ACROSS
THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND WILL EXPAND ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST AND
WESTERN GREAT LAKES THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. HEAVY SNOW,
SIGNIFICANT SLEET, AND DISRUPTIVE ICING ARE EXPECTED. SNOW WILL
DEVELOP AND BECOME HEAVY ACROSS EASTERN ND AND NORTHERN MN.
SNOWFALL RATES MAY REACH 1 INCH PER HOUR AT TIMES, LEADING TO
DIFFICULT TRAVEL FROM REDUCED VISIBILITY AND SNOW-COVERED ROADS.
TOTAL SNOWFALL OF 3 TO 6 INCHES IS LIKELY, WITH LOCALIZED AMOUNTS
EXCEEDING 6 INCHES POSSIBLE. CONSIDERABLE SLEET ACCUMULATIONS OF
0.5 INCHES OR MORE ARE POSSIBLE FROM SOUTHERN MN INTO THE UPPER
PENINSULA OF MI. FREEZING RAIN WILL HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT FROM
EASTERN SD THROUGH SOUTHERN MN, CENTRAL WI, AND INTO NORTHERN MI.
ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF 0.1†0.25 INCHES ARE EXPECTED, WITH
SCATTERED AMOUNTS APPROACHING ONE-HALF INCH POSSIBLE. TREACHEROUS
TRAVEL, BROKEN TREE LIMBS, AND SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES ARE
POSSIBLE IN AREAS WITH THE MOST SUBSTANTIAL ICING.
ON THURSDAY, LOW PRESSURE OVER THE NORTHERN INTERMOUNTAIN REGION
WILL MOVE SOUTHEASTWARD TO THE MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BY
SATURDAY EVENING. THE STORM WILL PRODUCE RAIN AND HIGHER-ELEVATION
SNOW OVER PARTS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND THE NORTHERN
INTERMOUNTAIN REGION. THIS SECOND LOW WILL MOVE OUT OF THE CENTRAL
HIGH PLAINS OVERNIGHT THURSDAY, MOVING TO THE MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI
VALLEY BY FRIDAY EVENING. THE LOW WILL PRODUCE A SECOND WINTER
STORM THAT WILL TRACK FROM THE ROCKIES INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS
FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF IMPACTFUL
WINTER WEATHER. HEAVY SNOW WILL DEVELOP IN THE NORTHERN ROCKIES
AND WILL SPREAD INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS, WITH SNOWFALL RATES
EXCEEDING 1-2 INCHES PER HOUR AT TIMES. THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL
SHIFT INTO NORTHERN MINNESOTA FRIDAY NIGHT AND PERSIST INTO
SATURDAY. HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY. MORE FREEZING
RAIN WILL CAUSE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS FROM SOUTH DAKOTA EAST
INTO NORTHERN MICHIGAN. ICE ACCUMULATIONS MAY PROLONG IMPACTS FROM
THE FIRST STORM, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL TREE DAMAGE AND POWER
OUTAGES.
THE STORM WILL CREATE ANOTHER AREA OF SHOWERS AND SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE UPPER/MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ON FRIDAY.
THEREFORE, THE SPC HAS ISSUED A SLIGHT RISK (LEVEL 2/5) OF SEVERE
WEATHER OVER PARTS OF THE UPPER/MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY FROM
FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE
THUNDERSTORMS ARE FREQUENT LIGHTNING, SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WIND
GUSTS, HAIL, AND A FEW TORNADOES.
ON SATURDAY, ANOTHER AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL
DEVELOP OVER THE MIDDLE/LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY INTO THE SOUTHERN
PLAINS WHILE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVE INTO THE OHIO VALLEY.
ZIEGENFELDER
GRAPHICS AVAILABLE AT
HTTPS://WWW.WPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/BASICWX/BASICWX_NDFD.PHP
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page