Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 318 PM EDT Wed Apr 22 2020 Valid 00Z Thu Apr 23 2020 - 00Z Sat Apr 25 2020 ...Heavy rains, flash flooding and severe thunderstorms possible from the Lower Mississippi Valley and across the Southeast... ...Fire weather risk to continue for portions of the Southwest and the Southern High Plains... ...Record heat possible by Friday from Southern California into the Southwest and across South Texas, while below average temperatures continue across the northeast quarter of the nation... The active weather across portions of the Southern Plains Wednesday afternoon will be spreading eastward into the Lower Mississippi Valley tonight and across much of the Southeast during Thursday. The storm system responsible for this activity will be pushing eastward across these areas, supporting the potential for widespread regions of heavy rains, flash flooding and severe thunderstorms. The axis of the heaviest forecast rainfall amounts across northern Louisiana, central Mississippi and central Alabama, will be falling across regions that had very heavy rainfall amounts last week. These areas have stream flows that are well above normal, increasing the risk of additional flash flooding and flooding from the upcoming heavy rains. To the north of the heaviest rains and severe weather potential, moderate to locally heavy rains are also possible through the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic and southern New England. An enhanced to critical fire weather threat will continue over the next two days from portions of the Southwest into the Southern High Plains. The combination of low relative humidities and windy conditions will support the potential for wild fires from southeast Arizona, southern New Mexico and into Southwest Texas. Farther west, temperatures will be rising to much above to record levels across Southern California into the Southwest. These much above average temperatures are the beginning of a potential string of record highs for portions of California into the Southwest during the remainder of this week into next. Much above average temperatures also possible across much of the Plains and Florida on Thursday and from the Southern Plains, across the Gulf Coast and into Florida on Friday. Record high temperatures also possible Friday over South Texas. Temperatures will remain below average over the next few days across the Northeast. Oravec Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php