National Weather Service Raw Text Product

788 
FXUS01 KWBC 232011
PMDSPD

Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
400 PM EDT Tue Apr 23 2024

Valid 00Z Wed Apr 24 2024 - 00Z Fri Apr 26 2024

...Unsettled weather and severe thunderstorm chances gradually
expand across parts of the central and southern Plains over the
next couple of days...

...Above average temperatures across much of the western half of
the country while cooler than normal weather prevails in eastern
half...

The relatively benign weather pattern lately across the country is
expected to gradually become more active in the course of the next
couple of days as a low pressure system is forecast to develop and
intensify over the central Plains.  The upper-level trough
responsible for developing the low pressure system is currently
located over the subtropical eastern Pacific, moving toward Baja
California.  This upper trough is forecast to reach the southern
Rockies on Thursday as the low pressure system intensifies more
rapidly over the central Plains later that day.  Showers and
thunderstorms associated with the leading warm front across
Oklahoma Wednesday night is forecast to expand northward across
the central Plains during the day on Thursday and reach into the
northern Plains by evening.  The thunderstorm activities will
likely get stronger later in the afternoon on Thursday over the
central Plains ahead of a dry line.  Winds will also strengthen
throughout the central Plains on Thursday as the low pressure
system intensifies. 

In the meantime, a weak low pressure wave and a pair of cold
fronts will spark showers and embedded thunderstorms into tonight
across the Great Plains and parts of the Midwest.  Some stronger
thunderstorms may develop over the Texas Panhandle this evening
associated with a cold front.  By later tonight, the Midwest
should begin to clear out from the showers and storms as they move
into the Ohio Valley.  Wednesday will see these storms settling
south across Oklahoma into the Tennessee Valley and into portions
of the Mid-Atlantic.  Meanwhile, rapidly falling temperatures
behind the second cold front are expected to end the rain as a
period of wet snow across northern New England during the day on
Wednesday.  Meanwhile, the trailing cold front entering the
southern Plains will be the focus for thunderstorms across the
southern Plains on Wednesday, and they will expand northward as
the aforementioned low pressure system intensifies.

Elsewhere, unsettled weather is also in the forecast throughout
parts of the Great Basin and eventually the Pacific Northwest by
Thursday as initial upper ridging and well above average
temperatures gradually erode. Much of the rainfall is expected to
be mostly beneficial outside of any lightning potential with
thunderstorms over the central Great Basin. Highs throughout the
southwest are anticipated to reach the 80s and 90s through
Wednesday, with 60s and 70s for much of the Intermountain West.

Cooler weather is in store for the Great Lakes and much of the
eastern U.S. behind the cold fronts.  The cooler temperatures are
forecast to reach into the Carolinas on Thursday.  Meanwhile,
above average temperatures will prevail across much of the western
U.S. before the upper trough brings cooler temperature as
temperatures reach well up into the 80s to near 90 over the
southern High Plains by Thursday afternoon.

Kong/Snell


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

$$