Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 426 PM EDT Wed Jul 01 2015 Valid 00Z Thu Jul 02 2015 - 00Z Sat Jul 04 2015 ...Heavy showers and thunderstorms possible for portions of the middle Mississippi valley, Tennessee valley, the northern Southeast and Middle Atlantic states... ...Comfortable temperatures expected across the Midwest and Northeast... ...Temperatures to remain well above average the Northwestern U.S... A nearly stalled frontal boundary will be the focus for the threat of heavy rainfall associated with heavy showers and thunderstorms. This area will likely include the mid Mississippi Valley, the Tennessee Valley, northern portions of the Southeast and across the Southern to Middle Atlantic states from tonight thru Saturday morning. This area of heavy rainfall is not expected to shift much over the next several days with the possibility of organized areas of thunderstorms possible from Missouri over the lower Ohio Valley into the Tennessee Valley especially overnight. Thunderstorms area likely to be more widespread during the afternoon and evening due to the effects of localized heating. There is some risk for severe thunderstorms in these regions as well but not organized outbreak of severe weather is expected. See the website for SPC for more details. Another area of showers and thundershowers appear likely across portions of the northern Rockies into the Northern and Central plains from Tuesday night thru Thursday. Rainfall is not expected to be as heavy as that occurring farther south and eastward but could be locally heavy especially in the Dakotas into Nebraska North of this boundary, relatively comfortable conditions for the first week of July is likely over the next few days from the Midwest across the Northeast as a weak area of high pressure moves across the region. Across the West, a mid to upper-level ridge of high pressure will remain entrenched through the forecast period and will continue mostly hot and dry conditions especially across the Interior West and Northwest. Afternoon high temperatures across the Northwest will continue to average greater than 10 degrees above average . Moisture moving westward along the southern edge of the upper ridge will likely result in scattered afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms across portions of the Southwest and even into California. Showers and thunderstorms will be the most concentrated in areas of terrain. Kocin Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php