Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 233 PM EDT Tue Jul 23 2024 Valid 00Z Wed Jul 24 2024 - 00Z Fri Jul 26 2024 ...Major to locally extreme Heat Risk will expand across the northern High Plains as heat gradually becomes less intense over the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin... ...Scattered showers and thunderstorms will affect a large section of the eastern half of the U.S. with heavy rain emerging along the Texas coast tonight... ...Monsoonal thunderstorms continue across the Great Basin and into the Four Corners region with threats of localized flash flooding... A slow-to-evolve summertime weather pattern will continue across much of the U.S. mainland as a more progressive Pacific cold front sweeps across the northwestern part of the country through the next couple of days. Under this weather pattern, unsettled weather and relatively cool temperatures for July will continue across the eastern half of the country as the ongoing heat wave over the western U.S. will gradually become less intense with the arrival of the Pacific cold front. The stronger forcing associated with this front will push the heat dome east of the Great Basin, resulting in the expansion of major to locally extreme Heat Risk across the northern High Plains through the next couple of days. High temperatures are forecast to reach well up into the 100s over the northern High Plains through Thursday with little to no rainfall expected. Meanwhile, the heat will gradually become less intense over the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin with time. Please continue to practice heat safety in the western U.S. and as the heat spreads into the northern High Plains. In contrast, cooler than normal temperatures will prevail across the mid-section of the country and into portions of the eastern U.S. where a stalled front will keep plenty of clouds along with scattered thunderstorms. These thunderstorms are not expected to be severe but they could result in localized flooding issues from time to time across the southern tier states and up and down the East Coast. A Slight risk of flash flooding is anticipated from southeast Texas into portions of the Lower Mississippi Valley while another is in effect from the Carolinas into interior portions of the Southeast through Thursday. Tonight, a coastal front could set off heavy rain and thunderstorms near the Texas coast into southwestern Louisiana where flash flooding is possible. Farther north, another cold front from eastern Canada dipping into the northern tier states will bring additional thunderstorms across the Great Lakes to New England through Wednesday. By Thursday morning, the Great Lakes should clear out from the rain but northern New England will see an increasing chance of showers and thunderstorms as a low pressure wave approaches from the west. Meanwhile, monsoonal thunderstorms will continue across the Great Basin and the Four Corners region with the threat of localized flash flooding over the next couple of days. Kebede/Kong Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php