Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 358 AM EDT Sat Aug 22 2020 Valid 12Z Sat Aug 22 2020 - 12Z Mon Aug 24 2020 ...Numerous wildfires rage in the West, more record heat likely in the Southwest and Intermountain West... ...Scattered showers and thunderstorms in the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast this weekend... ...Laura and Marco set their sights on the Gulf of Mexico bringing heavy rains to the Gulf Coast as early as Monday... The western U.S. and Great Plains are shrouded under a vast area of smoke due to ongoing wildfires that extend from the Rockies to the West Coast. Air quality alerts remain in place across portions of the West due to the particle pollution. Ash is falling from the sky and accumulating on surfaces. Depending on the extent of the smoke in a given area, the sky is darker than usual and exhibiting redder and more eerie colors throughout the day. Elevated risks for fire weather conditions continue in portions of the Northwest and Intermountain West today as gusty winds and low relative humidity levels persist. Monsoonal thunderstorms could provide some relief for select portions of the Southwest, but with severe drought and exceptionally dry fuels present, dry thunderstorms could spark additional wildfires this weekend and into Monday. Excessive heat does look to back down for a couple days in western regions, although some record high temperatures are still expected to occur in parts of the Southwest, Great Basins, central Rockies, and southern High Plains. An upper-level trough over the Gulf of Mexico and a stalled frontal boundary over the Southeast today will make for another day of scattered showers and thunderstorms extending as far north as the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic. Farther north, a pair of passing frontal boundaries should spark showers and storms in the Upper Midwest and New England, some of which could be severe across the Upper Mississippi Valley Saturday today. In fact, a marginal risk for severe weather is in place over portions of the Upper Midwest today. As a system passes over southeast Canada, record high temperatures are possible for southern New England and the northern Mid-Atlantic states on Sunday. Above normal temperatures are also anticipated throughout the northern and central High Plains this weekend and into the start of the upcoming week. Tropical Storm Laura is heading towards Puerto Rico this morning and the rest of the Great Antilles later this weekend. Farther west, Tropical Storm Marco is in the northwestern Caribbean Sea and is forecast to skirt the eastern shores of the Yucatan Peninsula Saturday evening. Both systems are forecast to threaten the Gulf Coast of the United States early to mid next week, with heavy rain possible as early as Monday. Please visit the National Hurricane Center for the latest advisories and forecast information for these systems. Mullinax Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php