Today Through the Fourth Friday (22 to 28 days) Weather Outlook for the U.S. and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted July 30, 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
Tue Jul 30 2024
Valid 12Z Tue Jul 30 2024 – 12Z Thu Aug 01 2024…Daily scattered flash flooding and severe weather from the Mid-Atlantic
into the Northern Plains/Midwest……Dangerous mid-summer heat wave to expand across the Central U.S. and
Southeast; more hot weather across the West…An active, unsettled pattern will continue across the eastern half of the
Lower 48 as an elongated frontal system with access to abundant moisture
and instability leads to repeat bouts of thunderstorms through midweek.
This will maintain a daily threat of scattered (level 2/5) flash flooding
and severe weather from the Mid-Atlantic, Ohio/Tennessee Valley, Midwest,
and Northern Plains through Thursday. Daily isolated flash flooding
chances should also continue across the Southwest tied to the monsoon.Thunderstorms aside, heat will become the big story over the Central and
Southeast U.S. this week as an upper-level high strengthens. Forecast high
temperatures Monday and Tuesday are expected to soar into the triple
digits over the Central Plains, with upper-90s to low 100s to the west
over much of the High Plains, and mid-to upper 90s for the Middle and
Lower Mississippi Valley. High humidity values over the Mississippi Valley
and eastern portions of the plains will lead to heat indices in the
105-110 degree range, potentially as high as 115 for some locations, with
widespread Excessive Heat Warnings and Advisories in place. Warm morning
lows only dropping into the mid- to upper 70s will provide little relief
from the heat overnight. This combination of hotter temperatures to the
west, higher heat indices to the east, and the multi-day duration of this
heat wave will increase the danger not only to more sensitive groups, but
also the general public, particularly those without adequate air
conditioning.West of the Continental Divide, a troughing pattern and associated cool
weather over the West will give way to widespread warm weather by Thursday
as a stationary Pacific front washes away beneath widespread height rises
across the region. By Friday, we can expect high temperatures in the 90’s
and triple digits across much of the West which could challenge numerous
records across the region. Unfortunately, smoke from area wildfires will
also continue to plague parts of the West, particularly over portions of
the northern Great Basin, resulting in poor air quality and areas of
reduced visibility.