Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 400 PM EDT Thu Sep 03 2020 Valid 00Z Fri Sep 04 2020 - 00Z Sun Sep 06 2020 ...Scattered severe thunderstorms are expected across parts of the Mid-Atlantic tonight.. ...Heavy rainfall and localized flash flooding possible for parts of the Southern Plains and Mid-Atlantic... ...Record-setting heat and dry weather are expected to envelope much of the West going into the weekend... An upper-level disturbance will bring a threat of heavy showers and thunderstorms capable of producing localized flash flooding and severe weather to the Mid-Atlantic. Much of the focus will be along and just south of a slow-moving frontal boundary where a substantial amount of moisture and instability is expected to be in place. The Storm Prediction Center has indicated that there is an Enhanced Risk of severe weather across the Mid-Atlantic in particular where there is expected to be concerns for damaging winds and a few tornadoes this afternoon/evening. Meanwhile, this same front causing the concerns for heavy rainfall and severe weather in the Mid-Atlantic will be draped well back down to the southwest and weakening over areas of the lower Mississippi Valley and the southern Plains. The remnant boundary should be a focus for areas of showers and thunderstorms, and especially over areas of central and eastern Texas where a separate upper-level disturbance will be interacting with it, this evening. Locally several inches of rain will be possible from slow-moving showers and thunderstorms with very heavy rainfall rates that may exceed 2 inches per hour. This is expected to drive some concerns for flash flooding as a result. On Friday, a new cold front will be arriving from the Midwest and Great Lakes region which is expected to bring cooler, and much drier weather for much of the Eastern U.S. going into the weekend with temperatures trending down to either normal or modestly below normal for this time of the year. This boundary will settle down across the Gulf Coast states and will still be the focus for some showers and thunderstorms going into the weekend, but areas to the north will have a chance to dry out. Another low pressure system will develop behind this system over the Northern Rockies on Saturday night before beginning its descent into the lower 48. In the meantime, a strong ridge will be develop over much of the Western U.S.. This will set the stage for not only very dry weather, but also very hot temperatures including a likelihood of seeing record high temperatures. In some cases, the high temperatures are forecast to be as much as 20 to 25 degrees above normal, which will lead to many areas across the Great Basin and especially the Desert Southwest seeing temperatures well over 100 degrees. Low temperatures will be very warm across the area in and around the Carolinas, Southwest and Southeast tonight through Saturday night to the point that they might break records. Kebede/Orrison Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php