Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 450 PM EDT Mon Sep 15 2014 Valid 00Z Tue Sep 16 2014 - 00Z Thu Sep 18 2014 ***Fall-like weather across much of the nation*** ***Moisture increasing for the Desert Southwest this week*** ***Scattered showers and storms for the Gulf Coast*** A large surface high is controlling the weather pattern across much of the country, with many states enjoying quality fall-like conditions. With the surface high pressure covering most of the central and eastern parts of the U.S., the majority of locations during this forecast period should enjoy cool and dry weather. Things will be different for the Desert Southwest through the middle of the week with moisture on the increase again. Daily showers and storms are expected each day from Arizona to western Texas with monsoonal moisture flowing northward from Mexico. Of even greater importance is moisture associated with Hurricane Odile, and this will be an issue later in the week. In the warm and humid airmass near the Gulf Coast and Florida, there will be scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon hours. Locally heavy rainfall will be possible in areas where convective activity is persistent. Showers are also likely across parts of the Great Lakes region and Northeast U.S. as an upper level trough axis moves through the region. D. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php