Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
Fri Jun 21 2024
Valid 12Z Fri Jun 21 2024 – 12Z Sun Jun 23 2024
…Record hot temperatures continue over portions of the Midwest/Ohio
Valley while expanding over the Mid-Atlantic…
…Heavy rain and flash flooding concerns across the Upper Midwest Friday
and Great Lakes Saturday…
…Risk for flash flooding in the Four Corners Region Friday…
…Heat building over much of the West heading into the weekend…
A stubborn upper-level high over portions of the eastern to south-central
U.S. will generally remain in place, continuing a heat wave over the
region with the focus for the most intense heat over portions of the
Midwest/Ohio Valley and expanding in the Mid-Atlantic. Forecast
temperatures generally in the mid-90s Friday will rise into the upper 90s
to 100 Saturday in the Mid-Atlantic, with record-tying/breaking
temperatures possible. Heat-related Advisories and Warnings are in place
as these temperatures, when combined with the humidity, will bring heat
index values into the 100-105 degree range, with values as high as 110
possible through the southern Mid-Atlantic on Saturday. Additionally,
overnight low temperatures will remain in the mid-70s for many locations,
at potential record-tying/breaking levels, providing little relief from
the heat overnight. The early arrival of this heat in the Summer season,
persistence over multiple days, and abundant sunshine will aggravate heat
stress on those without reliable air conditioning. Temperatures more
broadly from the East Coast to the central/southern Plains will be in the
low 90s Friday and mid-90s Saturday. Meanwhile, relief continues to the
north of a frontal boundary draped though southern New England, with highs
now mostly in the 70s and low 80s.
Meanwhile, areas of showers and thunderstorms will continue along this
frontal boundary to the north of the upper-high, as moisture from the Gulf
flows northward through the Plains and around eastward through the Upper
Great Lakes and into New England. The greatest threat for significant
heavy rainfall will be ahead of a surface wave over portions of the Upper
Midwest as overnight storm complexes help prime the soils Thursday
night/Friday morning ahead of another round of storms expected later
Friday. A Moderate Risk of Excessive rainfall (level 3/4) is in effect
Friday centered on southern Minnesota and adjacent west-central Wisconsin,
northern Iowa, and southeastern South Dakota, where the highest potential
for heavy downpours, several inches of rainfall, and scattered to numerous
instances of flash flooding exists. Additional scattered instances of
flash flooding will be possible more broadly across the Upper Midwest. A
few severe thunderstorms are expected as well, as the Storm Prediction
Center has included a Slight Risk of severe weather (level 2/5) for the
region, extending southwestward into the central Plains and the
northwestward into the central/northern High Plains. Damaging winds, large
hail, and a few tornadoes are all possible. An upper-level shortwave
approaching from the west will help to deepen the frontal wave and push
the system eastward on Saturday, bringing the threat for heavy rainfall to
portions of the Great Lakes southwestward into the Upper Mississippi
Valley. A Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall (level 2/4) is in place
Saturday as an organized complex of storms is expected to follow the
system eastward, bringing additional locally heavy rainfall and scattered
instances of flash flooding. Some severe thunderstorms will again be
possible with a Slight Risk in place mainly for the threat of damaging
winds.
An upper-level trough moving over the Southwest will bring areas of
showers and thunderstorms to the Four Corners Region on Saturday.
Anomalously high moisture spreading into the region from the remnants of
former T.S. Alberto will help contribute to locally heavy downpours and
the threat for flash flooding, with a Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall in
effect Friday. The focus for storms should shift more into portions of the
Desert Southwest on Saturday, with a lingering threat of some isolated
flash flooding. As this trough moves eastward, a ridge will begin to build
over the West in its wake, bringing and expanding area of hot, above
average Summer temperatures. Forecast highs in the 90s on Friday will soar
into the 100s on Saturday for portions of the Great Basin and central
California Valleys. Heat-related Advisories and Watches have been issued
for the central Valleys south into interior southern California beginning
Saturday. Conditions will also be notably hot over the Desert Southwest on
Friday, particularly over central Arizona where Excessive Heat Warnings
are in place, with highs into the 110s. The noted increasing
moisture/storm chances will help cool temperatures down a few degrees
Saturday. Elsewhere, a couple of waves of low pressure will pass over
portions of the Southeast/Florida as well as south Texas, with daily
thunderstorms chances Friday and Saturday.