Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 359 AM EDT Fri Aug 21 2020 Valid 12Z Fri Aug 21 2020 - 12Z Sun Aug 23 2020 ...Devastating wildfires rage in the West, more record heat likely in the Southwest and Intermountain West... ...Scattered showers and thunderstorms will persist for the coming days across the southeastern quadrant of the country... ...Tropics to be closely monitored as Tropical Depressions Thirteen & Fourteen make their way toward the Gulf of Mexico... Much of the western U.S. is blanketed by a hideous shield of smoke due to wildfires that extend from the Rockies to the West Coast. Air quality alerts are in place across portions of the West due to the particle pollution, ash is falling from the sky and coating surfaces, and depending on the extent of the smoke in a given area, the sky is considerably darker or exhibits vivid colors throughout the day. Unfortunately, elevated risks for fire weather conditions continue in portions of the Northwest and northern Great Basin today as gusty winds and low relative humidity levels persist. Monsoonal thunderstorms should provide some relief to some select portions of the Southwest, but with severe drought and exceptionally dry fuels present, dry thunderstorms could spark additional wildfires today and into the weekend. With little rainfall in sight, the western wildfires should press on through the weekend. In addition, the Desert Southwest continues to bake with Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories in effect from southern California to northern Arizona today. Daily record warm high and low temps are forecast to occur in parts of the Southwest, the Rockies, and West Texas today and Saturday. It would be great if portions of the East could send direct some of their rainfall to drought stricken areas of the West. A persistent upper-level trough over the Deep South and a stalled frontal boundary over the Southeast today should trigger scattered showers and thunderstorms, some of which could be severe. There is also a threat for excessive rainfall as Slight Risks for flash flooding have been posted in the Mid-South and the southern Appalachians. Farther north, a pair of frontal boundaries should spark showers and storms in the Upper Midwest and New England. Saturday looks to feature another round of showers and storms from the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys to the Mid-Atlantic coast. The Upper Mississippi Valley and northern Great Lakes can also anticipate spotty showers and storms the first half of the weekend. Tropical Depression Thirteen is located just northeast of the Lesser Antilles and Tropical Depression Fourteen is positioned in the western Caribbean Sea. Both systems could be on a collision course with the United States next week, thus posing a potential threat to residents of the Gulf Coast states by the start of the upcoming week. Please visit the National Hurricane Center for the latest advisories and forecast information. Mullinax Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php