Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 444 PM EDT Tue Jun 25 2013 Valid 00Z Wed Jun 26 2013 - 00Z Fri Jun 28 2013 ***Active weather pattern from the Plains to New England*** ***Hot and humid with scattered storms for the East Coast*** ***Major heat wave expected for the Desert Southwest*** A few frontal boundaries from the Northern Plains to the Ohio Valley will provide the forcing necessary for showers and thunderstorms to develop through Wednesday night. A wave of low pressure is forecast to move from the Central Plains to the Upper Great Lakes, producing showers and thunderstorms with locally heavy rainfall, over the Great Lakes and into the Ohio Valley. More showers are expected over parts of the Pacific Northwest and into the Northern Rockies through mid-week with more onshore flow from the Pacific Ocean. A drier pattern is expected there by the end of the work week as ridging develops over the region. Over the eastern half of the U.S., the Bermuda High will continue to control the weather pattern through the middle of the week. Deep southerly flow from the Gulf of Mexico, along with weak shortwave energy aloft, will lead to the development of scattered showers and storms for much of the East Coast. It will also be hot and humid with highs in the upper 80s to mid 90s. For much of the Desert Southwest, excessive heat watches are in effect for a major heat wave that is expected to affect the lower elevations of eastern California, Arizona, and Nevada starting Friday. A big upper level high, combined with subsiding air and abundant sunshine, will lead to the hottest temperatures so far this year. Some of the lower Deserts near the Colorado River may reach 120 degrees! It will also be very hot for the lower elevations of Utah and into Northwest Mexico. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php