Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 428 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2020 Valid 00Z Wed Jul 29 2020 - 00Z Fri Jul 31 2020 ...Heavy Rainfall/flash flooding possible for parts of the Central Gulf Coast, Plains, Midwest, and Tennessee Valley over the next few days... ...Elevated fire danger in and near Oregon into tonight and Wednesday... ...Cooling and showery in the central U.S.; hot in the West; hot and humid in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic... Broad troughing edging into the northern and northeastern U.S. from Canada will push against a warm ridge of high pressure anchored across the Deep South. This pattern will sustain a nearly stationary front across the mid-section of the country where a good chance of showers and thunderstorms will continue for the next few days. Bouts of heavy rainfall can be expected to slowly shift from the central Plains into the mid-Mississippi Valley toward the Tennessee Valley for the next couple of days as the front begins to lift very slowly northward. Along the central Gulf coast, heavy rains are expected to linger into tonight before the associated dynamics lift further inland on Wednesday. Temperatures will remain below normal for late July across much of the central U.S. due to lingering clouds and precipitation along the stationary front. Across the the Northwest, afternoon temperatures are forecast to soar into the triple digits across the interior valleys on Wednesday and especially on Thursday, where record high temperatures are possible. Heat advisories have been issued for these areas. The Storm Prediction Center has concerns that thunderstorms do form in the vicinity would lead to an elevated risk of fire weather for the interior sections of the Pacific Northwest due to their associated lightning and minimal expected rainfall through tonight into Wednesday. Red flag warnings remain in effect for this area. The building mid-level ridge responsible for the intensifying heat in the Northwest will also be realized across the Desert Southwest into the Great Basin. Record high temperatures will be possible Thursday afternoon in the Desert Southwest as temperatures are forecast to reach well into the 110s where Excessive Heat Warnings are in effect. Across the Northeast, hot conditions with scattered thunderstorms will persist into midweek as humid conditions linger further south across the Mid-Atlantic where a cold front remains slow to move out of the area. Kong Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php