Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 357 PM EDT Sat Jun 29 2019 Valid 00Z Sun Jun 30 2019 - 00Z Tue Jul 2 2019 ...Heat building across the central and northern Plains, and storms for the Gulf Coast and the Northeast states... An upper level ridge will be in place over the Plains for this weekend, along with an upper level trough over the Pacific Northwest and a second upper low approaching New England. The result will be oppressive heat and humidity across the north-central U.S., with heat advisories in effect from Kansas to North Dakota, and also some excessive heat warnings. Highs are expected to reach well into the 90s to near 100 degrees. It will also be quite warm for the Eastern U.S., but a cool front settling in across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region will lower humidity and keep highs closer to seasonal averages by Sunday and Monday for the Mid-Atlantic, and slightly below average for New England. However, air quality alerts are in effect for parts of the East Coast owing to increased ground level ozone. Heavy showers and thunderstorms are likely for parts of southern Texas and across the Florida Peninsula with plenty of moisture in the atmosphere. Scattered storms are expected ahead of the front passing through the Northeast on Saturday evening, and another complex of storms across the Upper Midwest ahead of another cold front. Mainly dry conditions are expected for much of the western U.S. and the western High Plains. D. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php