EXTENDED FORECAST DISCUSSION NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD 1200 PM EDT TUE JUL 12 2016 VALID 12Z FRI JUL 15 2016 - 12Z TUE JUL 19 2016 ...PATTERN OVERVIEW/GUIDANCE EVALUATION/PREFERENCES... IN THE MEDIUM-RANGE FORECAST PERIOD THROUGH TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK...MODEL GUIDANCE IS DEPICTING AN UPPER-LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE CELL GRADUALLY BUILDING IN THE MID-SECTION OF THE COUNTRY WHILE GENERAL TROUGHING TENDS TO MAINTAIN ITSELF NEAR BOTH THE WEST AND THE EAST COASTS. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DISCREPANCY IS INDICATED OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WITH AN UPPER-LEVEL LOW DROPPING IN FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA. THE GFS SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN UNSTEADY REGARDING THE SPEED OF THIS FEATURE FOR THE PAST FEW RUNS...BUT THE 06Z POSITION AGREES WELL WITH THE ECMWF AS WELL AS THE ENSEMBLE MEANS POSITIONS. AS WE GET FURTHER OUT IN TIME...BOTH THE ECMWF AND GFS SOLUTIONS AGREE THAT A POSITIVELY-TILTED TROUGH WILL ACQUIRE MORE AMPLITUDE NEAR THE WEST COAST. THUS...WPC INCORPORATED AN EQUAL BLEND OF THE 06Z GFS AND 00Z ECMWF STARTING FROM DAY 3 AND PROGRESSIVELY ADJUSTED TOWARD AN EQUAL BLEND OF THE EC MEAN AND THE 06Z GEFS MEAN BY DAY 7. ...WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS/THREATS... FORECAST TEMPERATURE ANOMALIES WILL NOT BE TERRIBLY SIGNIFICANT THROUGHOUT THE MEDIUM RANGE. SPOTS OF THE COUNTRY WHICH CAN EXPECT BELOW NORMAL READINGS WILL BE OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS/UPPER MIDWEST DOWN INTO THE MIDDLE MS VALLEY RESIDING GENERALLY IN THE POST-COLD FRONTAL ENVIRONMENT. ADDITIONALLY...THE DAILY THREAT FOR PRECIPITATION SHOULD ALSO HELP KEEP READINGS DOWN A BIT GIVEN INCREASING CLOUD COVER. ELSEWHERE...EXPECT HIGHS ABOUT 5 TO POSSIBLY 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST LATE IN THE PERIOD AS THE UPPER TROUGH BEGINS TO TAKE SHAPE. MEANWHILE...UNDER THE RIDGE FROM THE DESERT SOUTHWEST TO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS...EXPECT HOT CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL WITH DESERT LOCALES REACHING THE 110 TO 115 DEGREE RANGE EACH DAY. MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL IS LIKELY ANYWHERE FROM THE NORTHERN TIER STATES SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE OZARKS AND INTO THE MID-ATLANTIC/CAROLINAS. THIS WILL FOCUS ALONG THE CONSTANTLY MEANDERING FRONTAL ZONE WHICH SHOULD OFTEN RE-POSITION BASED ON CONVECTIVE PROCESSES/TRENDS. ADDITIONAL CONVECTION IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WARM SECTOR ITSELF...PARTICULARLY ALONG THE CENTRAL/EASTERN GULF COAST WHERE SEA BREEZE ACTIVITY MAY LEAD TO LOCAL MESOSCALE ENHANCEMENTS. KONG/RUBIN-OSTER