Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 337 AM EDT Mon Jul 2 2018 Valid 12Z Mon Jul 2 2018 - 12Z Wed Jul 4 2018 ...Heat wave continues for the eastern half of the nation... A slow moving cold front crossing the Ohio Valley on Monday will be the impetus for areas of moderate to locally heavy rain and strong thunderstorms across parts of the central and northern Appalachians, including into New England. Across the Gulf Coast region, a low pressure trough will enhance showers and storms from the Florida Panhandle to Louisiana through Tuesday, and some of these storms could produce locally heavy rain that may cause some flooding issues. Another area of heavy rain is likely across parts of the Dakotas and Minnesota with another low pressure system that will be crossing the northern plains. Dry conditions are expected to continue for most of the western U.S. from the Rockies westward. The other thing making weather headlines early this week is the ongoing extensive heat wave across the eastern U.S. An impressive upper level ridge is in place over the eastern U.S. and this is leading to widespread subsidence aloft, and thus mostly sunny skies and hot conditions. Temperature anomalies on the order of 10 to even 20 degrees above normal are expected on Monday, with the potential for some record high temperatures to be set across the northeastern states. Heat advisories and some excessive heat warnings are in effect from northeast North Carolina to New Hampshire. High temperatures in the 90s to near 100 degrees, combined with high dewpoints, is expected result in heat indices of 100 to 110 degrees for many areas. Overnight lows will also be quite sultry, especially in urban areas where readings could remain above 75 degrees all night. D. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php