Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 358 AM EDT Fri Jul 17 2020 Valid 12Z Fri Jul 17 2020 - 12Z Sun Jul 19 2020 ...Severe weather and heavy rain expected in parts of the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest today and into the weekend... ...Sultry summer heat to stretch from the Plains to the East Coast this weekend... ...Cool in the Pacific Northwest and New England; Showers and storms to dot the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic today, The most active weather across the Lower 48 is likely to transpire in the north central U.S. over the next couple days as a series of frontal boundaries traverse the region. A Moderate Risk for severe weather is in place over southeast North Dakota today along with a Slight Risk for excessive rainfall over portions of the Upper Midwest. The threat for severe weather pushes slightly further east this weekend encompassing the Upper Mississippi Valley and the western Great Lakes. Parts of the western Great Lakes in particular are at higher risk for flash flooding due to recent heavy rainfall and abnormally high soil moisture. Meanwhile, the Dog Days of Summer remain in full swing east of the Rockies with hot and humid conditions across most central and eastern regions. Heat advisories have been posted for parts of the Plains and central Mississippi Valley. In addition, Excessive Heat Watches have been issued for the greater Minneapolis and Philadelphia metro areas. Heat indices should soar above the century mark in these aforementioned areas while growing in coverage farther east this weekend. Hot conditions also looks to continue in the Southwest and Great Basin throughout the weekend with daily max temperatures climbing as high as 110 or hotter in the Desert Southwest. Elsewhere, temperatures will be rather cool in a few spots, most notably the Pacific Northwest and New England. In fact, a few locations in New England could challenge daily record cool max temperatures today. Temperatures return to more summer-like levels in New England by Saturday. In addition, an approaching cold front is forecast to generate scattered showers and thunderstorms from the Northeast to the Mid-South today. Lastly, portions of the Great Basin are at an elevated risk for fire weather conditions today while some monsoonal showers and thunderstorms linger over the central and southern Rockies into the weekend. Mullinax Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php