Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 339 AM EDT Tue Aug 5 2014 Valid 12Z Tue Aug 5 2014 - 12Z Thu Aug 7 2014 ***Improving weather for the Eastern U.S.*** ***Bertha is expected to remain offshore*** ***More thunderstorms for the Inter-Mountain West*** A frontal boundary that has been situated near the East Coast for the past couple of days is expected to dissipate and move offshore. It is this frontal boundary and the associated upper level trough that is keeping Bertha well away from the East Coast and out to sea. By the middle of the week, a stronger cold front is expected to arrive and bring isolated to scattered showers and storms from the southern Appalachians to the Northeast U.S. Cooler and drier air will accompany the quality airmass that settles into the region for the end of the work week. For the central Plains and Midwest, a stationary front and a weak surface low along with weak shortwave energy aloft will help fuel the development of a few thunderstorm complexes with locally heavy rainfall. Warm and humid flow to the south will over-run cooler air to the north of the boundary. Combining this with some instability will create a favorable environment for thunderstorms. For the western U.S., an upper-level trough over Nevada and northern California with monsoonal moisture in place is enhancing shower and thunderstorm activity over this region. Several areas of organized rainfall are likely through Wednesday over the Inter-Mountain West where upslope flow and upper-level divergence are maximized. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php