Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 354 AM EDT Thu Jun 25 2020 Valid 12Z Thu Jun 25 2020 - 12Z Sat Jun 27 2020 ...A threat of severe weather exists today and Friday for portions of the northern Plains and upper Midwest... ...Saharan dust to arrive over the Gulf Coast states... ...Hot weather to persist across parts of Florida and the interior valleys of California... An upper-level disturbance over southeast Texas will continue to favor a threat for some heavy rain and perhaps localized flash flooding across the western and central Gulf Coast region today as it interacts with moisture pooled along a weakening stationary front. Conditions are then expected to gradually dry out a bit across the Gulf Coast states going through Friday and into the early part of the weekend as the western edge of the Bermuda high offshore of the Southeast begins to nose westward across Florida and the Deep South. This will generally favor hot temperatures across this region, although areas farther west across eastern and southern Texas will still see some unsettled weather with more clouds and a threat of showers and thunderstorms at least through Friday along with cooler temperatures. The building ridge of high pressure will also allow a Saharan dust layer to progress into much of the Gulf Coast region over the next couple of days. The main impacts of the Saharan dust will be hazy skies during the day, locally reduced visibility and degraded air quality. However, this will also make for some very colorful sunrises and sunsets with deeper oranges and reds compared to normal. In the West, an upper-level trough currently advancing across the Intermountain Region will push a cold front out across the northern and central Plains later today and then toward the upper Midwest and upper Great Lakes by later Friday. This will drive a threat of strong to severe thunderstorms, including a threat for large hail and damaging winds across these areas. Locally heavy rainfall will be expected too as showers and thunderstorms develop and expand eastward with the front, and there will be at least a localized concern for flash flooding. High temperatures 5 to 10 degrees above normal are forecast across the northern and central Plains today ahead of the cold front. Removed from active weather systems, the interior valleys of California are expected to remain hot with temperatures as much as 10 to 15 degrees above normal over the next few days. Heat Advisories remain in place across these areas. Orrison Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php