Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 400 AM EDT Fri Sep 18 2020 Valid 12Z Fri Sep 18 2020 - 12Z Sun Sep 20 2020 ...Heavy rain associated with Sally is moving out to sea but the threat of another hurricane is looming for the western Gulf Coast by later this weekend... ...Below-normal temperatures expected across the Midwest and eastern U.S. Friday into the weekend... ...Beneficial rains forecast for portions of West but fire weather remains a concern... The last swath of heavy rain associated with the remnants of Sally is ready to move off the Maryland and Virginia eastern shores this early Friday morning. A large area of high pressure centered over the Great Lakes will then build into the East Coast, bringing much cooler and drier air for the rest of today and into the weekend. In fact, freeze warnings and frost advisories are in effect near the Canadian border from the upper Midwest to the upper Great Lakes and parts of the Northeast. Temperatures of more than 10 degrees below normal will make it feel fall-like by the weekend across much of the eastern U.S. and down into the Southeast. However, the smoke particles from the wildfires in the West should continue to result in hazy sunshine from the Plains eastward to the East Coast. Strong to severe thunderstorms are developing early today across western Oregon and Washington as a Pacific system edges closer to the region. This system is expected to bring some beneficial rains and cooler temperatures today and Saturday as it moves through the Northwest and into the northern Great Basin and Rockies. However, gusty winds ahead of the system are expected to pose fire weather concerns, with Red Flag Warnings in effect today across portions of the Great Basin into the Rockies. Dry and windy conditions will likely pose fire weather concerns into the weekend across the southern Great Basin into the Rockies as a cold front sweeps across the area. Over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, tropical depression Twenty-two has already formed. This tropical cyclone will appear to meander closer toward the western Gulf Coast region later in the weekend. Heavy rain associated with this system is forecast to stay just off the coast during much of the weekend but may edge closer toward the coast later in the weekend. Please continue to monitor the National Hurricane Center for the latest on this tropical cyclone. Kong Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php