Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 359 PM EDT Thu Oct 08 2020 Valid 00Z Fri Oct 09 2020 - 00Z Sun Oct 11 2020 ...Hurricane Delta forecast to make landfall in southern Louisiana late Friday with life-threatening storm surge, destructive winds, and dangerous inland flooding... ...Soaking rainfall to impact areas of the central Gulf Coast and Lower Mississippi Valley both Friday and Saturday with rain gradually overtaking the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic the second half of the weekend... ...Unsettled weather with heavy rain and some high elevation snowfall expected this weekend for the Pacific Northwest, summer-like heat in the Plains... Hurricane Delta is gradually restrengthening in the western Gulf of Mexico this afternoon and is forecast to obtain major hurricane status sometime this evening or overnight. Delta is forecast to make landfall in southwest Louisiana as a fierce category 2 hurricane late in the day on Friday. Storm Surge and Hurricane Warnings are in effect from the Upper Texas coast and along the coast of southern Louisiana. Residents in these areas should follow advice given by local officials and rush preparedness actions to completion as Delta's impacts look to start as early as Friday morning. Heavy rainfall from Delta will result in significant flash, urban, small stream and minor to moderate river flooding on Friday and Saturday from portions of the central Gulf Coast into portions of the Lower Mississippi Valley. In fact, the storm is currently forecast to produce as much as 5 to 10 inches of rain, with isolated maximum totals of 15 inches, for southwest to south-central Louisiana. As Delta moves farther inland, heavy rainfall is expected to overspread the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic this weekend. Delta is also expected to produce a threat for a few tornadoes across portions of the Gulf Coast states with a Slight Risk for severe weather in place for Friday. Elsewhere across the Lower 48, the weather pattern remains rather tranquil through Friday. However, by this weekend, the pattern becomes increasingly more active as a new cold front passes over the Great Lakes and a warm front traverses the Northeast. There should be a swath of showers and thunderstorms tracking through New England as a result, some of which could be severe. In the West, a pair of Pacific cold fronts traverse the Pacific Northwest this weekend which will bring a surge of healthy onshore flow and a likelihood of heavy rainfall for the coastal ranges and the Cascades. In fact, some of the higher peaks of the Cascades will see snow levels fall low enough to yield a threat for heavy snowfall. Temperature-wise, the Plains will witness a more summer-like regime that is likely to persist throughout the weekend. There is also a threat for favorable fire weather conditions in parts of the High Plains this weekend. The Northeast, however, will experience a more typical autumnal air-mass on Friday before an arriving warm front Saturday sends a surge of above normal temperatures into the region. The Rockies can expect warm conditions to persist both Friday and Saturday. The West Coast is in for a seasonally cool weekend due to the pair of cold fronts sweeping through the region. Mullinax Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php