Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 327 AM EDT Tue Jul 3 2018 Valid 12Z Tue Jul 3 2018 - 12Z Thu Jul 5 2018 ...Heat wave continues for the eastern half of the nation... A slow moving cold front crossing the central Appalachians and the Northeast on Tuesday will be the impetus for areas of showers and thunderstorms from Pennsylvania to eastern New England. Across the Gulf Coast region, a low pressure trough will enhance showers and storms from southern Mississippi to southeast Texas, 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, Iowa, 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 through the middle of the week is the ongoing 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. Heat advisories and some excessive heat warnings are in effect from central Virginia to eastern Maine. High temperatures in the 90s, combined with high dewpoints, is expected result in heat indices of 95 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. Some relief is expected later in the week as the weather pattern begins to change some. D. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php