Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 451 PM EDT Sat Aug 28 2021 Valid 00Z Sun Aug 29 2021 - 00Z Tue Aug 31 2021 ...Hurricane Ida is forecast to intensify rapidly to major hurricane strength before making landfall on the Louisiana coast during the day on Sunday... ...Strong to severe thunderstorms possible across the northern Plains to the upper Midwest tonight ahead of a developing low pressure system... ...Heat persisting through the weekend over much of the Desert Southwest, parts of the Midwest and the Carolinas... Hurricane Ida is becoming a formidable force of nature forecast to take aim at the Louisiana on Sunday. The hurricane is currently expanding in size while strengthening over the anomalously warm waters of the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Ida is forecast to intensify rapidly to major hurricane strength before making landfall on the Louisiana coast during the day on Sunday. Squalls and heavy downpours associated with the outer rainbands of Ida are expected to reach southern Louisiana tonight along with increasingly strong and gusty winds. Torrential rain driven by destructive hurricane-force winds will then lash the Louisiana coast as the eye of the hurricane makes landfall on Sunday. All actions pertaining to protecting lives and properties should be rushed to completion by tonight. After landfall, Ida is expected to turn more slowly to the north across central Louisiana Sunday night. The slower motion would prolong the impacts of high winds and torrential rains along the path of Ida. Ida is forecast to weaken to tropical storm strength as it reaches southern Mississippi Monday morning. Much of Louisiana into southern Mississippi will likely experience sustained tropical storm force winds early on Monday with hurricane-force wind gusts remain possible. In addition, wind-driven heavy rain will continue to pound the area, leading to the possibility of life-threatening flash flooding spreading up into the lower Mississippi Valley by Monday evening. Farther north across the northern Plains, a developing low pressure system interacting with a couple of frontal systems will keep an elevated risk of strong to severe thunderstorms across the upper Midwest through tonight. As the low pressure system intensifies and heads into Ontario Canada on Sunday, the risk of severe thunderstorms will decrease. However, showers and thunderstorms can be expected across the Great Lakes on Sunday ahead of the trailing cold front. By Monday, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to extend from across the Ohio Valley to New England. Meanwhile, summer heat and humidity will persist across the Midwest, Ohio Valley, and into the Mid-Atlantic. New England and the northern Mid-Atlantic will be slightly cooler under the influence of the nearby cooler Atlantic waters. Meanwhile, much of the western U.S. will remain dry through Monday. The exception will be across the higher terrains of Arizona and New Mexico where some late-day monsoonal showers and thunderstorms can be expected through Monday. The Desert Southwest will remain quite hot into Monday with Heat Advisories and Excessive Heat Warnings remain in effect. Kong Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php