Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 237 AM EDT Wed Jul 27 2016 Valid 12Z Wed Jul 27 2016 - 12Z Fri Jul 29 2016 ...Above average temperatures expected to continue for the East and the West... ...Heavy rain possible through Thursday from the lower Mississippi valley to the central Appalachians... An upper-level low that resulted in numerous showers and thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast yesterday will move north into the lower Mississippi valley today. Thus, expect scattered to numerous showers and storms from the Gulf Coast north to the lower Mississippi valley, some of which could produce locally heavy rainfall. On Thursday, the moisture associated with this upper-level low will interact with a stationary frontal boundary, resulting in numerous showers and thunderstorms once again for portions of the lower and middle Mississippi valley as well as the Ohio and Tennessee valleys. This area of moisture will into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Friday ahead of the slow-moving frontal boundary. In the meantime, expect hot conditions to continue along the Eastern Seaboard, with afternoon high temperatures today and Thursday expected to be 5 to 10 degrees above average. Another cold front will bring showers and thunderstorms to portions of the central/northern plains and Upper Midwest today. On Thursday this frontal system will merge with the system farther south across the Mississippi/Ohio valleys before continuing to move eastward. Across the West, a ridge of high pressure aloft will keep most areas dry, with the exception of a few isolated thunderstorms across Arizona and New Mexico each day. Temperatures will be 10 to 15 degrees above average across most of the West through Friday. These hot and dry conditions will only exacerbate drought conditions and wildfires, in areas experiencing them. Ryan Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php