Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 359 AM EDT Tue Jun 15 2021 Valid 12Z Tue Jun 15 2021 - 12Z Thu Jun 17 2021 ...Heat will continue across portions of the West and Plains, with record-breaking temperatures and fire danger in some areas... ...Rain and thunderstorms are forecast across Florida over the next couple of days with some isolated flash flooding possible... A strong upper-level ridge centered across the Four Corners region will help sustain a heat wave for the majority of the western U.S. over the next several days, with the north-central U.S. also seeing periods of hot weather. Temperatures well into the 110s to lower 120s are forecast for the Desert Southwest. Meanwhile over Montana, high temperatures well into the 100s will be as much as 30 degrees above average today. Dozens (possibly hundreds) of daily record high maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be set over the next few days in California, the Intermountain West, Desert Southwest, Rockies, and High Plains. High temperatures across the lower elevations of the Central Rockies region could even challenge all-time records today and Wednesday at some locations. Given the heat, dry conditions, and gusty winds, fire danger is a concern throughout much of the West, and Critical Risks of fire weather are in place today across portions of Nevada, Utah, and Montana. However, the exception to the Western heat will be the Northwest, which can expect cooler than average temperatures as well as rain chances today behind a cold front. Rain chances should decrease in the Northwest on Wednesday, but winds are likely to strengthen as a low pressure system intensifies in western Canada. The cold front should push temperatures closer to normal in Montana on Wednesday, and also help trigger some thunderstorms in the Dakotas toward the Midwest on Wednesday into Thursday. Isolated storms could be strong to severe there. Scattered thunderstorms are likely across the Gulf Coast region over the next couple of days, and there is a Marginal Risk for severe weather (with gusty winds and hail the main threats) across the central/eastern Gulf Coast and the coastal Carolinas today into tonight. The Florida Peninsula in particular should see good coverage of thunderstorms, and heavy downpours could cause isolated flash flooding there. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Bill will continue moving northeastward over the Atlantic and will not cause any direct impacts to the U.S. However, some showers and thunderstorms are possible in the Northeast today as a couple of fronts move through the region, which will also cause below normal temperatures. Tate Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php