Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 345 PM EDT Fri Aug 04 2017 Valid 00Z Sat Aug 05 2017 - 00Z Mon Aug 07 2017 ...Strong cold front continues to sweep across the eastern U.S... ...Showers and thunderstorms to persist along the Gulf Coast... ...Heavy rainfall and severe weather possible in the Plains and Mississippi Valley... A strong cold front will stretch from the lower Great Lakes and into the southern Plains this evening as it progresses eastward toward the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Showers and thunderstorms have already developed along and ahead of this boundary--and this activity can expect to spread across the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic by tonight. Severe weather will be possible for the lower Great Lakes/Ohio Valley through Saturday morning along with a marginal chance for flash flooding Farther south in the Carolinas and Southeast, showers and thunderstorms can also be expected as the front moves into these regions. The cold front moves off the Northeast coast by Saturday, with precipitation quickly tapering off after the boundary's exit. Behind the front, temperatures will be unseasonably cool from the Plains to the East Coast. These temperatures will last throughout the weekend. The convection across the Gulf Coast states will persist through the weekend as a boundary near the coast will provide focus for showers and thunderstorms. By Saturday, as the strong cold front pushes southward across the Carolinas and Southeast, it will stall and slowly lift northward as a warm front. Strong southerly flow will bring deep moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, and with the addition of instability--this will nurture an environment favorable to continue heavy rainfall especially along the central Gulf Coast. By Sunday, the boundary weakens as it moves northward. However, enough moisture and instability will remain in place for another round of showers and thunderstorms albeit not as much coverage as expected on Saturday. As a frontal boundary begins to drop southward past the central Rockies on Saturday morning, convection will begin to develop in the western portions of the central Plains. As the front advances to the east, this organized cluster of thunderstorms will also push eastward across most of Kansas and will begin moving into Missouri by Saturday evening. Once the cold front begins to push southward from the middle Mississippi Valley and the southern Plains, precipitation will spread into these areas. Monsoonal moisture along with daytime heating will generate showers and thunderstorms across the Desert Southwest and the central/southern Rockies mostly in the late afternoon/evening. These storms are capable of producing isolated heavy downpours that could lead to flooding. These typical thunderstorms are expected to occur through the weekend. Reinhart Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php