Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 342 AM EDT Thu Jul 07 2016 Valid 12Z Thu Jul 07 2016 - 12Z Sat Jul 09 2016 ...Severe Storms and heavy rain are possible from the Mid-to-Upper Mississippi Valley, the Midwest, the Ohio Valley into the Northeast... ...Heat and humidity will cover the southern, central and eastern United States... ...Cooler temperatures across the Northwest will spill into the Northern Plains and Midwest on Friday into Saturday morning... Hot and muggy conditions will persist across much of the southern two-thirds of the U.S. through the end of the week. Temperatures are expected to exceed 100 degrees especially across western Texas, eastern New Mexico into Oklahoma. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible from the central Gulf Coast to the Southeast and northward to the Mid-Atlantic region. Showers and thunderstorms can be expected from the Upper Mississippi Valley, the Midwest, Ohio Valley and across the Appalachians and Northeast into Saturday morning as a low pressure system tracks north and east. The Storm Prediction Center has a slight risk for severe thunderstorms in place over much of the Midwest, Upper Midwest and western Ohio valley today - with an enhanced threat over much of Iowa, northeast Missouri and western Illinois. The area of concern will shift eastward on Friday, covering most of the Ohio valley and central Appalachians. A stronger upper-level low will advance toward the Northwest coast Friday into Saturday, spreading showers and cool temperatures with snow possible in the higher elevations of the Cascades. Campbell Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php