Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 352 PM EDT Mon Sep 28 2020 Valid 00Z Tue Sep 29 2020 - 00Z Thu Oct 01 2020 ...Elevated to critical fire weather conditions continue across large sections of California... ...Heavy showers and thunderstorms, with localized flash flooding concerns, will impact the eastern U.S. through the middle of the week... ...A strong cold front to bring below normal temperatures in across much of the central and eastern U.S.... Wildfires continue to impact portions of California as a result of near-record high temperatures, low relative humidity and locally strong, gusty winds. High pressure anchored over the Intermountain West will continue to promote these elevated to critical fire weather conditions at least through tonight, with some improvement on Tuesday and Wednesday for northern California as the high pressure center weakens and the winds at least tend to subside. However, the Transverse Ranges of southern California will remain under a critical fire weather threat through at least the middle of the week where winds will still tend to be dry and gusty, and with near-record heat continuing. Farther east, showers and thunderstorms are expected to remain focused along and near a cold front that is advancing into the eastern U.S. This front will have multiple waves of low pressure developing along it and lifting northeast up along the coastal plain of the Eastern Seaboard going through Tuesday and Wednesday. These waves of low pressure and the front will be interacting with a pool of deep moisture and sufficient instability for numerous showers and thunderstorms. Consequently, heavy rainfall is expected with locally a few inches of rain possible. In fact, the Weather Prediction Center has highlighted a Slight Risk of excessive rainfall for portions of the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast Tuesday through early Wednesday, and the expectation is for at least some localized flash flooding concerns. On Wednesday, the focus for heavy rainfall should shift up across New England before then tapering off as the cold front pushes offshore of the East Coast. Temperature-wise, much above normal temperatures will again be the story across much of the western U.S. as high pressure remains generally anchored over the region for the next several days. However, the eastern U.S. will see temperatures dip below normal in behind the aforementioned cold front passage going through Wednesday. Gradually toward the end of the week there will be another cold front diving south from Canada which will bring a reinforcing and colder shot of air down across the Midwest and advancing into the eastern U.S. Orrison Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php