Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 400 PM EDT Mon Sep 14 2020 Valid 00Z Tue Sep 15 2020 - 00Z Thu Sep 17 2020 ...Sally rapidly intensified to a hurricane this afternoon...prolonged threat of hurricane conditions and life-threatening flooding are expected along the central Gulf Coast due to Sally's slow forward motion... ...Welcome rainfall moving into coastal Pacific Northwest but wildfires and poor air quality continue for the interior down into northern California... ...Temperatures will be 10 to 25 degrees above average over parts of the Great Basin/Northern Rockies/High Plains... Sally rapidly intensified from a tropical storm to a hurricane earlier today over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, now packing winds up to 90 mph near the eye. Parts of the eastern Gulf Coast, especially the Florida Panhandle are being impacted by the outer rainbands of Sally. The slow forward motion of Sally will likely prolong the threat of hurricane conditions and life-threatening flooding along the central Gulf Coast. The slow motion of Sally will also increase the uncertainty as to when the hurricane will make a turn toward to north and where on the Gulf Coast will be most severely impacted. Our current forecast calls for 8 to 16 inches of rainfall with isolated amounts of 24 inches over portions of the central Gulf Coast from the western Florida Panhandle to far southeast Louisiana through the middle of the week. Life-threatening flash flooding and hurricane conditions are most likely later on Tuesday into early Wednesday from the Mississippi Delta eastward along the coast of Mississippi and possibly Alabama depending on the eventual track of Sally. Please see the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center for additional and updated information across this area. Residents within Sally's reach should continue to monitor the storm's progress and follow the advice of local officials. Outside of Sally conditions are rather tranquil for the rest of the U.S. Tropical moisture is expected to gradually advance toward the interior Southeast, possibly reaching the Mid-Mississippi Valley late on Wednesday with a few showers and thunderstorms. A chance of thunderstorms will also continue along the western Gulf Coast near a stationary front. In contrast, high pressure builds in over the Great Lakes into the Northeast producing cooler and drier conditions across the region with below average temperatures. Out West, an upper-level ridge over the Intermountain Region continues to support the ongoing poor air quality. As a result, dense smoke advisories and air quality alerts are posted over the Pacific Northwest, parts of California, and parts of the Great Basin. The fire weather forecast for Tuesday has critical to elevated levels in portions of the Northwest into the Northern Rockies/High Plains. Kong Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php