Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 349 AM EDT Sat Jun 11 2016 Valid 12Z Sat Jun 11 2016 - 12Z Mon Jun 13 2016 ...Heat and humidity returns to the eastern states this weekend... ...Strong to severe thunderstorms possible from the northern High Plains eastward into Northeast before a strong push of cool air arrives from Canada... Some of the warmest temperatures of the year thus far are forecast for this weekend across the eastern U.S. A warm front lifting through the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions is bringing warm, moist air; which will help generate scattered to widespread showers and thunderstorms from South Carolina to New England. Some of the storms will have the potential to become severe today as a strengthening cold front surges southeastward from Canada. Thunderstorms could become strong in the vicinity of the cold front from the Great Lakes eastward to southern New England. The Storm Prediction Center has a slight risk in place for Iowa /Illinois and Pennsylvania/New Jersey/New York/Connecticut/Rhode Island/Massachusetts. Showers and thunderstorms will persist across the Gulf Coast and Florida along a lingering boundary. As the weekend progresses, this boundary will drift northward and dissipate. A strong ridge anchored over the central U.S. will keep hot and dry conditions over the next few days for the central Plains and portions of the Deep South. Residual instability combined with daytime heating is expected to trigger showers and thunderstorms across portions of the central and southern Rockies from late afternoon into the evening during the weekend. An approaching upper-level low from the Pacific will help generate another round of convection across the Pacific Northwest, Intermountain West and the Northern Rockies/surrounding areas. The Storm Prediction Center has identified eastern Montana and extreme western North Dakota with an enhanced risk and northern North Dakota and northwest Minnesota as having a slight risk for the development of very strong to severe thunderstorms today. The area of concern will shift to the east on Sunday, covering extreme eastern Dakotas and much of Minnesota. Some of the storms may produce heavy rainfall across Minnesota and along the Nebraska/Kansas border on Sunday, which may lead to flash flooding. Refer to the excessive rainfall outlooks for additional information. Campbell Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php