716
FXUS01 KWBC 190634
PMDSPD
SHORT RANGE FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD
233 AM EDT THU MAR 19 2026
VALID 12Z THU MAR 19 2026 - 12Z SAT MAR 21 2026
...AN ANOMALOUSLY EARLY AND RECORD-BREAKING HEATWAVE CONTINUES TO
INTENSIFY ACROSS THE WESTERN U.S. AND EXPAND EAST INTO THE GREAT
PLAINS...
...WET WEATHER CONTINUES FOR WESTERN WASHINGTON; WINTRY MIX
EXPECTED ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST/GREAT LAKES TO THE INTERIOR
NORTHEAST...
...CRITICAL RISK OF FIRE WEATHER ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL
AND NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS...
THE FORECAST REMAINS ON TRACK FOR AN ANOMALOUS, RECORD-BREAKING
WESTERN U.S. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN WHILE
EXPANDING EASTWARD INTO GREAT PLAINS THIS WEEK, BRINGING AN ALMOST
SUMMER-LIKE HEATWAVE TO THE REGION. FORECAST HIGH TEMPERATURES THE
NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS WILL INTENSIFY AND SOAR INTO THE 80S AND 90S
FROM CALIFORNIA EASTWARD THROUGH THE GREAT BASIN, ROCKIES, AND
INTO THE PLAINS, WITH 100S FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THE DESERT
SOUTHWEST. NUMEROUS AND WIDESPREAD DAILY AND MARCH MONTHLY RECORD
HIGHS ARE LIKELY, WITH SOME LOCATIONS IN CALIFORNIA ALREADY
BREAKING THEIR MARCH MONTHLY RECORDS ON TUESDAY. MANY LOCATIONS
ACROSS THE DESERT SOUTHWEST ARE EXPECTED TO SEE THEIR EARLIEST
100+ DEGREE DAY ON RECORD. THE EARLY, PROLONGED NATURE OF THIS
HEAT WITH LIMITED SEASONAL ACCLIMATION WILL INCREASE THE RISK OF
HEAT IMPACTS ESPECIALLY AMONG SENSITIVE POPULATIONS OR THOSE
WITHOUT EFFECTIVE COOLING, AND HEAT-RELATED ADVISORIES AND
WARNINGS HAVE BEEN POSTED ACROSS THE DESERT SOUTHWEST AND ALONG
CENTRAL/SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. ANOTHER CONCERN WILL BE RAPID SNOW
MELT DUE TO THE WIDESPREAD HEAT, LEADING TO RIVER RISES AND SWIFT,
DANGEROUS CURRENTS. WHILE AIR TEMPERATURES WILL SEEM WARM ENOUGH,
WATER TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN DANGEROUSLY COLD, AND ANYONE
ENTERING THE WATER IS AT RISK OF COLD WATER SHOCK AND HYPOTHERMIA.
THE FOCUS FOR THE HEAT WILL GRADUALLY EXPAND INTO THE PLAINS THIS
WEEKEND, CHALLENGING MANY HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORDS IN THE REGION
AS DAYTIME HIGHS CLIMB INTO THE 80S, 90S, AND TRIPLE DIGITS.
MEANWHILE, ALONG THE EASTERN SEABOARD, TEMPERATURES WILL RECOVER
THIS WEEKEND FOLLOWING A VERY CHILLY FIRST PART OF THE WEEK.
BEGINNING TODAY, MUCH OF THE EAST CAN EXPECT A WARMING TREND TO
TAKE HOLD OF THE REGION, LEADING TO PLEASANT SPRING-LIKE WEATHER
BY SATURDAY.
A STUBBORN ATMOSPHERIC RIVER ALONG THE NORTHERN SIDE OF THE
WESTERN U.S. RIDGE WILL MAINTAIN LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL OVER THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST THROUGH SATURDAY, WHICH COULD YIELD ISOLATED
FLOODING IN THE UPSLOPE SECTION OF THE OLYMPICS AND CASCADES. WARM
AIR ACCOMPANYING THE ATMOSPHERIC RIVER WILL KEEP SNOWFALL LIMITED
TO THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN ELEVATIONS, WITH SOME LOWER ELEVATION RAIN
AND HIGHER ELEVATION SNOW ALSO EXPECTED INTO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES.
A PAIR OF WEAK CLIPPER SYSTEMS WILL SPREAD A WINTRY MIX FROM THE
UPPER GREAT LAKES INTO THE INTERIOR NORTHEAST TODAY AND FRIDAY,
WITH SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALSO POSSIBLE ACROSS THE UPPER
OHIO VALLEY, MID-ATLANTIC, AND COASTAL NEW ENGLAND AHEAD OF THE
COLD FRONT. WHILE THE PLAINS STATES WILL REMAIN DRY, LEE TROUGHING
EAST OF THE ROCKIES CONTINUES TO SUPPORT TO GUSTY WINDS ACROSS
PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS. AS SUCH, A
CRITICAL RISK OF FIRE WEATHER (LEVEL 2/3) REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR
EASTERN WYOMING TODAY, WHERE RED FLAG WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT.
ASHERMAN/PUTNAM
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