Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 300 PM EDT Sat Oct 17 2020 Valid 00Z Sun Oct 18 2020 - 00Z Tue Oct 20 2020 ...Much below average temperatures to continue into early next week across the Northern to Central Plains/Upper Mississippi Valley region, while much above average temperatures continue from California into the Southwest and Great Basin... ...Poor Air Quality conditions persist across portions of California... ...A relatively dry fall pattern across the nation... Large temperature contrasts will continue into the early part of next week across significant portions of the nation. A reinforcing shot of cold air currently moving south from the Northern Plains will push into the Central to Southern Plains tonight into early Sunday and eastward into the Upper Mississippi Valley. Big temperature drops are expected Sunday across these areas with temperatures 20-25 degree colder than on Saturday. Meanwhile, no big changes expected to the current weather pattern supporting much above average temperatures from California into the Southwest and the Great Basin. Much of this region is expected to be 10-15 degrees above average over the next few days. The hot dry weather will provide no big relief to ongoing fires across portions of the West. Air quality issues will persist into early next week in the vicinity of ongoing fire, especially in the central California valley region. Overall, the weather pattern is relatively dry across the nation over the next two days. Exceptions will be for heavy snow potential across the Northern Rockies of Montana and northern Wyoming Sunday into early Monday and locally heavy rain potential in the vicinity of a slow moving frontal boundary across the Ohio Valley region Sunday night into Monday. Oravec Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php