Today Through the Fourth Friday (22 to 28 days) Weather Outlook for the U.S. and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted August 16, 2024
This article focuses on what we are paying attention to in the next 48 to 72 hours. The article also includes weather maps for longer-term U.S. outlooks and a six-day World weather outlook which can be very useful for travelers.
First the NWS Short Range Forecast. The afternoon NWS text update can be found here after about 4 p.m. New York time but it is unlikely to have changed very much from the morning update. The images in this article automatically update.
Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
Fri Aug 16 2024
Valid 12Z Fri Aug 16 2024 – 12Z Sun Aug 18 2024…There is a Slight Risk of excessive rainfall over parts of the
Tennessee Valley and Southern Appalachians on Friday……There is a Slight Risk of severe thunderstorms over parts of the
Central/Southern Plains on Friday……There are Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories over parts of the
Central/Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi/Tennessee Valleys…A front extending from the Upper Great Lakes/Upper Mississippi Valley
across the Middle Mississippi Valley and then to the Central High Plains
will move eastward to the Lower Great Lakes/Mid-Atlantic, then westward to
the Southern Plains by Sunday. Showers and thunderstorms will develop
along and ahead of the boundary from the Great Lakes/Ohio Valley to the
Tennessee/Lower Mississippi Valleys into the Central/Southern Plains.Additionally, the front will intersect a pool of tropical moisture over
the Tennessee Valley, producing heavy rain. Therefore, the WPC has issued
a Slight Risk (level 2/4) of excessive rainfall over parts of the
Tennessee Valley/Southern Appalachians through Saturday morning. The
associated heavy rain will create mainly localized areas of flash
flooding, with urban areas, roads, small streams, and low-lying areas the
most vulnerable.Furthermore, upper-level energy moving over the Central Plains will
trigger showers and severe thunderstorms. Therefore, the SPC has issued a
Slight Risk (level 2/5) of severe thunderstorms over parts of the
Central/Southern Plains and adjacent areas through Saturday morning. The
hazards associated with these thunderstorms are frequent lightning, severe
thunderstorm wind gusts, hail, and a minimal threat of tornadoes.On Saturday, as the front moves eastward, showers and thunderstorms will
develop over parts of the Lower Great Lakes/Eastern Ohio Valley, Central
Appalachians, Tennessee Valley, and Middle/Lower Mississippi Valley.Elsewhere, monsoonal moisture and diurnal heating will produce showers and
thunderstorms over parts of the Southwest, Eastern Great Basin, and
Southern Rockies from late afternoon into late evening on Friday and
Saturday.Moreover, upper-level energy and moisture moving over parts of the Pacific
Northwest will create rain with embedded thunderstorms over parts of the
Northwest on Saturday.Meanwhile, upper-level ridging over parts of the Southern Plains and Lower
Mississippi Valley with high temperatures in the upper-90s to low-100s
with dew points in the low to mid-70s have prompted Excessive Heat
Warnings and Heat Advisories over parts of the Central/Southern Plains and
Lower Mississippi/Tennessee Valleys. The sweltering summer heat will
continue over the south. A prolonged stretch of high temperatures in the
upper 90s and triple digits will be focused over portions of the Southern
Plains and Gulf Coast through Sunday. Low temperatures around 80 degrees
are also forecast along the Gulf Coast. Moreover, the combination of
summer heat and high humidity will support daily maximum heat indices near
110F. People spending greater time or effort outdoors or in a building
without cooling is at an increased risk of heat-related illness.