Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 408 AM EDT Thu Aug 27 2020 Valid 12Z Thu Aug 27 2020 - 12Z Sat Aug 29 2020 ...Historic Hurricane Laura heads north into the Lower Mississippi Valley today, then into the Mid-South on Friday... ...Severe storms and flash flooding possible from the Northern Plains and Great Lakes into the Northeast today and Friday... ...Summer sizzle continues across much of the country, raging wildfires continue in the West... Laura made landfall last night as a dangerous category 4 hurricane packing maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. Laura will continue its trek north and northeast today with tropical storm force winds and torrential rainfall eventually reaching the Lower Mississippi Valley. Additional power outages and tree damage is likely to occur further north into northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas. Also, there are a pair of Moderate Risks for flash flooding; one extending from the Ark-La-Tex region into central Arkansas and another over southeast Louisiana. A Slight Risk for flash flooding stretches up the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Memphis. Severe storms within Laura's spiral bands in its northeast quadrant today could contain tornadoes and damaging wind gusts up and down the Lower Mississippi Valley. The flood and severe threat will extend east into the Mid-South on Friday as Laura picks up speed and heads east. By Saturday morning, the storm (like a depression or post-tropical low by this point) will still generate heavy showers and storms across the Appalachians and eventually into parts of the Mid-Atlantic. Severe weather and flash flooding will not only be confined to Hurricane Laura as a pair of frontal boundaries trigger strong thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. Today, a Slight Risk for severe weather extends from the northern High Plains and Great Lakes to the Northeast. An Enhanced Risk for severe storms are located over western South Dakota and the Northeast. There is also an opportunity for excessive rainfall as Slight Risks are located over portions of the Midwest and eastern Ohio Valley. By Friday, the severe threat shifts slightly farther south through the eastern Corn Belt while the potential for flash flooding encompasses much of the Great Lakes. Temperature-wise, a late season heat wave in the Midwest will stick around for at least one more days with high temperatures in the mid-upper 90s. The heat wave will soon come to an end as a cold front ushers in a refreshing shot of Canadian air this weekend. Abnormally hot conditions will also take shape in the Southwest, central High Plains, and Mid-Atlantic where a handful of daily record highs could be broken. Excessive Heat Warnings remain in effect along the southern Colorado River Basin and across much of southern Arizona, where afternoon temperatures are expected to soar well above 110 degrees Thursday afternoon. Friday's hottest temperatures resides in West Texas as daily max temps reach the triple digits and even challenge daily record highs. Through Saturday, record warm lows will be common across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. The western U.S. wildfires look to continue with a slightly less dry thunderstorm activity then recent days; a welcome development for so many in the West. Mullinax Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php