Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 349 AM EDT Sun Aug 08 2021 Valid 12Z Sun Aug 08 2021 - 12Z Tue Aug 10 2021 ...Heavy rain and severe storms possible in the Midwest and Great Lakes, severe weather returns to the Northern Plains on Monday... ...Hot in the Great Plains; poor air quality due to wildfire smoke throughout parts of the West... The Midwest and Northern Plains are set to see some of the most active weather to close out the weekend and to start the work-week. Today, a frontal system over the North Central U.S. will be the catalyst for additional severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes in the mid and upper Mississippi Valleys. Some of these storms will also contain excessive rainfall rates, promoting a threat for flash flooding as well. Slight Risks for both severe weather and Excessive Rainfall have been issued for portions of the Midwest today as a result. The threat for severe weather and heavy rain moves a little further east towards the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley as a warm front lifts north through these regions on Monday. Meanwhile, a cold front pushing across the northern Rockies and Plains looks to trigger strong-to-severe storms in these areas later today. The cold front heads for the Dakotas on Monday where a renewed threat for severe weather is anticipated in the northern and central Plains. Abnormally hot conditions will be common throughout the Plains on Sunday with high temperatures approaching the century mark from West Texas on north into the Dakotas. Monday becomes even more hot in the Heartland with some locations in the central Plains potentially breaking daily record high temps. Hotter and increasingly humid conditions will also engulf most areas east of the Mississippi by Monday. A nearby area of low pressure may help to keep temperatures on the cooler side along the Northeast coast thanks to lingering showers and cloud cover. Speaking of cooler temperatures, the cold front swinging through the Northwest will provide an injection of cooler Pacific air to the interior Pacific Northwest on Sunday, followed by the northern Rockies and High Plains on Monday. Meanwhile, thick wildfire smoke continues to plague parts of California, the Intermountain West, and High Plains with terrible air quality. Expect Air Quality Alerts to remain in effect for portions of the West into the start of the upcoming week. Elevated fire weather conditions have been issued for northern Nevada, the northern Rockies and northern High Plains. Mullinax Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php