Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 357 PM EDT Mon Jun 15 2020 Valid 00Z Tue Jun 16 2020 - 00Z Thu Jun 18 2020 ...Rain and cool weather for the Southeast/Mid-Atlantic and Northwest, and hot conditions for the central and northern Plains... The weather pattern will be rather slow to change through the middle of this week with upper level lows over the Pacific Northwest and the Carolinas. An upper level ridge and surface high over the Great Lakes and Northeast north of the southeast U.S. low is resulting in a Rex block, and therefore slower than average progression of major weather systems. One of the stories that will make weather headlines through Wednesday will be moderate to heavy rain from the southern Appalachians to the Mid-Atlantic region. The combination of the closed upper low and a weak disturbance off the coast will generate enough moisture and lift in the atmosphere to produce 1 to 3 inches of rain across much of North Carolina and southern Virginia, and perhaps even higher across the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Given saturated soils across much of this region, the additional rain justifies the Slight Risk of excessive rainfall from WPC. Temperatures will also be anomalously cool for mid-June, with some record low maximum temperatures possible as highs struggle to reach 70 degrees for some of these areas. The northwestern quadrant of the nation will also enjoy cool weather for this time of year courtesy of another upper low and cold front passing through. Some of the highest elevations of the northern Rockies may get accumulating snow, particularly for central Idaho and southwest Montana on Tuesday. Elsewhere across the continental U.S., a cold front will track eastward across the Intermountain West and then the Rockies and western High Plains by Wednesday evening. Highs will be above normal for many areas from Kansas to Minnesota ahead of this front, with widespread 90s likely. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php