Harsh weather conditions across the central and eastern U.S. will end this week, as mild air rapidly spreads eastward.  However, during the transition from cold to mild weather, some wintry precipitation will briefly affect areas from the southern Plains into the Midwest.  Snow cover, which has been in place across more than one-half of the U.S. since January 15, should shrink as milder air arrives.  Meanwhile, heavy rain in the western Gulf Coast region will gradually shift eastward, with 5-day totals reaching 2 to 6 inches or more from eastern Texas to the southern Appalachians. 

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