Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 428 PM EDT Sun Jul 05 2015 Valid 00Z Mon Jul 06 2015 - 00Z Wed Jul 08 2015 ...Severe thunderstorms and flash flooding possible tonight for parts of the northern Plains and upper Midwest... ...Strong to severe thunderstorms, capable of flash flooding, possible from the southern Plains to the upper Great Lakes ahead of a strong cold front... ...Seasonably warm temperatures continue across the Pacific Northwest as temperatures return to normal or below normal across the Intermountain West... An anomalously strong cold front progressing southward across the Plains and eastward across the upper Midwest will be the focus for heavy rainfall and strong to severe thunderstorms the next several days. Tonight and into tomorrow, thunderstorms capable of severe weather and flash flooding are expected to continue along and ahead of the front from the northern Plains to the upper Great Lakes. By Monday and into Tuesday, as the front sinks farther south, showers and thunderstorms will begin to develop across the southern and central Plains, and into the middle Mississippi Valley and eventually the Ohio Valley. Strong to severe thunderstorms should be expected along and just ahead of the boundary where forcing is strongest. The Storm Prediction Center convective graphics show a large marginal and slight risk area from the Texas Panhandle northeastward into central Wisconsin. These storms will also be capable of very heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding and WPC is highlighting a slight to moderate risk for excessive rainfall from eastern New Mexico to far west-central Missouri. A weakening boundary lingering across the southern Mid-Atlantic will continue to allow for scattered showers and storms across the southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states tonight but should become less widespread in coverage by tomorrow and Tuesday as the upper-level support weakens. Out west, monsoonal moisture in place will continue to fuel showers and thunderstorms across the Intermountain West, particularly in the afternoon and evening hours where diurnal heating is greatest. As for temperatures, near normal or even below normal values are expected behind the above mentioned cold front across the Intermountain West and the Plains. This should come as a relief to the oppressive heat the Western U.S. has been experiencing the past several days to a week. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the Pacific Northwest where the upper ridge remains parked overhead continuing the above normal temperature readings for at least the beginning of the work week. Santorelli Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php