A big split in the weather pattern will drive the story over the next week. Early-season heat will continue across parts of the Southwest, Plains, and Mississippi Valley, with some areas running more like late spring than late March. At the same time, a strong cold front will sweep across the northern half of the country, bringing rounds of rain, some mountain and northern-tier snow, a chance for strong thunderstorms, and a sharp return to cooler air for the East. By early next week, warmth expands again from the West into the Plains, while increasing Pacific moisture may begin pushing back into the Southwest.
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A drawn-out storm pattern will keep much of the country active through the first week of April. A slow-moving front stretching from the Great Lakes into the Plains will separate late-season snow and ice to the north from heavy rain and severe thunderstorms to the south. The setup brings the greatest impacts to parts of the Midwest, Ohio Valley, Southern Plains, Mississippi Valley, and eventually the East Coast, while the West sees mountain snow and then a warming trend heading into the weekend.