Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 332 PM EDT Wed Oct 02 2024 Valid 00Z Thu Oct 03 2024 - 00Z Sat Oct 05 2024 ...There are Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories over parts of Southern California and the Southwest... ...Moisture and the chance for showers and thunderstorms returns to the Gulf Coast... The big weather storyline is the continuation of a very hot summer/early fall for the Southwest U.S. Most of the southern deserts of California and Arizona are under an Excessive Heat Warning. The Central Valley in California is also quite hot and Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories are in effect. In the southern deserts, high temperatures in the 100s and even low 110s will be commonplace for the next couple of days. The Central Valley of California can expect to see highs in the 100s. Remember, heat is the deadliest weather phenomenon in the U.S.! People spending more time outdoors or in a building without cooling are at an increased risk of heat-related illness. Visit www.weather.gov/safety/heat and check local media and government websites for information on cooling centers. The Gulf Coast and Florida Peninsula will see the return of widespread showers and thunderstorms by Thursday and persist into the weekend as moisture streams northward with an area of disturbed weather in the Gulf of Mexico. The day 1-3 QPF forecast does allow for some areas to see a couple of inches of rainfall, but there is not a solid signal in the models for any localized areas to see excessive rainfall or flooding threat at least in the short term. However, disturbed weather does look to persist in the Gulf of Mexico beyond the short term outlook. Looking across the rest of the nation, a cold front should die out across the eastern U.S. as it moves through the area, but should hopefully bring some clearing conditions to a rather soggy Mid-Atlantic and Appalachia for Thursday. Highs should be pleasant and mildly above average in the middle 70s. A cold front should move out of the High Plains and sweep through the central part of the country and bring a brief cool down as high temperatures fall into the 70s. This frontal boundary will aid in gusty winds and elevated fire danger through this evening. The front will then progress eastward and bring the chance for showers by Saturday across the Northeast. The temperatures in the southern Plains and Texas will remain warm and above average as many locations will see highs in the middle 90s. Lastly, Friday into Saturday, the Pacific Northwest will see the return of rain as the next area of low pressure and accompanied cold front enters the region. Wilder Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php