Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 430 AM EDT Sun Sep 20 2020 Valid 12Z Sun Sep 20 2020 - 12Z Tue Sep 22 2020 ...Tropical Storm Beta is forecast to approach and make landfall on the central Texas Coast later on Monday with flooding rains extending northeastward from the center... ...Morning frosts are likely from the Great Lakes into the Northeast and central Appalachians.... ...Above-normal temperatures to persist over the central and northern Plains... Tropical Storm Beta will remain the main weather story over the next couple of days as it slowly approaches the Texas Coast. The tropical storm has been interacting with a stationary front extending just off the Gulf Coast as a large high pressure system continues to feed cool air into the Deep South. This interaction should help focus the heavy rain to fall just to the north and northeast of where the center of Beta makes landfall. The presence of the frontal boundary and the associated vertical wind shear are expected to cause Beta to weaken as the tropical storm approaches the central Texas Coast later on Monday with tropical storm conditions and storm surge impacting the coastal communities. Residents in these areas should ensure that their hurricane plan is in place and follow advice given by local officials. Due to its slow motion, Beta has the potential to produce long-duration heavy rains, resulting in widespread significant flooding along the western Gulf Coast. Some heavy rainfall could also develop farther inland over eastern Texas on Monday ahead of Beta. The heavy rain may spread further northward into eastern Oklahoma and Arkansas early on Tuesday. Elsewhere, dry conditions are expected across much of the remainder of the U.S. into early next week. Strong high pressure will continue to support dry conditions and below-normal temperatures across much of the eastern U.S. into early next week. In fact, record low temperatures may be challenged at the coldest locations in the Northeast today and Monday, followed by the interior Mid-Atlantic Tuesday morning. Frost and freeze warnings continue to be in effect from portions of the Great Lakes and Northeast to the central Appalachians. Daytime temperatures of 10-15 degrees below normal will extend from New England down the East Coast and further extending near and along the Gulf Coast for the next few days. A frontal system is bringing some beneficial moisture and cooler temperatures into the northern Rockies early this Sunday morning. The bulk of the moisture will then move into Canada later today. Only isolated showers are expected across the northern Plains today as the frontal system moves across. A higher chance of thunderstorms could develop across the upper Midwest on Monday. Above normal temperatures are forecast to continue ahead of the frontal system across the northern and central Plains today, before spreading into the Upper Midwest on Monday. Kong/Pereira Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php