Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 345 PM EDT Mon Jul 13 2020 Valid 00Z Tue Jul 14 2020 - 00Z Thu Jul 16 2020 ...Heat wave continues across the Desert Southwest and extending eastward to the Gulf Coast region through mid-week... The relentless heat and humidity across the south-central U.S. will continue to make weather headlines going through the middle of the week. A strong and stubborn upper level ridge continues to govern the overall weather pattern across the region, and combined with very humid flow from the Gulf of Mexico, is producing widespread high temperatures in the 90s and 100s. Heat indices in some locations will easily reach into the 110s, particularly when dewpoints rise into the mid 70s or higher. Another problem is overnight lows remaining oppressively warm and humid, with readings not falling below 80 degrees for areas near the coast and for many of the larger cities. Excessive heat is also a big story for the lower elevations of the Desert Southwest with actual temperatures climbing into the 110s for highs, albeit much less humidity. A cold front tracking southeastward from the north-central U.S. will clash with this hot and unstable airmass across the Plains, and therefore serve as a forcing mechanism for severe thunderstorms. Multiple thunderstorm complexes are expected to develop and result in episodes of high winds and hail, along with frequent lightning and potentially flooding rains. Along the trailing end of this front, windy and dry conditions will likely support elevated to critical fire weather conditions for portions of the Great Basin through Tuesday. Across the eastern U.S., warm to hot conditions will also be widespread. With a nearly stationary front just off the coast, much of the region is under the control of a modified Canadian surface high, and therefore humidity levels are lower across much of the northeastern quadrant of the nation and extending down across the Mid-Atlantic region. Scattered showers and storms are still expected across the Southeast states where the front is expected to linger through midweek. Hamrick Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php