Crazy April weather on the way: Summerlike warmth East, snowy West

The final few days of April will see a wild potpourri of weather across the nation, from near-record warmth in portions of the East, to a potential big snowstorm in the Rockies and a major outbreak of severe thunderstorms and flooding rains in parts of the central U.S.

In the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, a dramatic warm-up is forecast Thursday as highs soar into the 80s from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. A handful of record highs may be challenged Thursday afternoon, including Buffalo (84 degrees) and Rochester, N.Y., (86 degrees), Weather.com reported.

Many spots will be 10 to 20 degrees above average with temperatures more typical of June than April. Both Washington D.C. and Philadelphia could record their first 90-degree day of the year by Saturday.

A northward bulge in the jet stream will cause the unusual warmth, AccuWeather said. South of the jet stream, temperatures tend to be much warmer than average.

While the East will see a summer preview, folks in the western mountains will deal with snow.

Enough snow may fall that residents in parts of Colorado, Wyoming and northern New Mexico could need shovels and plows by Saturday afternoon, AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rathbun said.

Denver could see at least six inches of snow. Flight delays, including at Denver International Airport, and slippery and snow-covered stretches of interstates 25 and 70 are possible, AccuWeather said.

Localized blizzard conditions may occur, as well as sporadic power outages. Temperatures will run some 20 to 30 degrees below normal Saturday, Rathbun said.

Springtime snow isn't unusual in Denver, according to the National Weather Service. The city typically picks up about 7 inches each April, and has only received 0.1 inch so far this month.

Meanwhile, severe thunderstorms are forecast to fire up across the central and southeastern U.S. by week's end and into the weekend, the Storm Prediction Center said. Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas are at the greatest risk, AccuWeather said.

AccuWeather said it could be a "very damaging and life-threatening event" late Friday into Sunday.

In addition to the severe weather, heavy rain could lead to flooding in portions of the central Plains and Midwest. A broad area from northeastern Texas to southern Illinois can expect 4 to 8 inches of rain to fall through the weekend, according to AccuWeather meteorologist Eddie Walker. Some parts of the Ozark mountains in Missouri and Arkansas could see a foot of rain.