488  
FOUS30 KWBC 080050  
QPFERD  
 
EXCESSIVE RAINFALL DISCUSSION  
NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD  
850 PM EDT TUE JUL 7 2026  
 
DAY 1  
VALID 01Z WED JUL 08 2026 - 12Z WED JUL 08 2026  
 
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL ACROSS PORTIONS OF  
THE NORTHERN PLAINS, UPPER MIDWEST AND SOUTHERN MID-ATLANTIC...  
   
..MID ATLANTIC  
 
ELEVATED PWATS ABOVE 2" AND THE PRESENCE OF A COLD FRONT ACROSS  
SOUTHERN AND SOUTHEAST VA HAS LED TO A FOCUS OF ENHANCED CONVECTION  
ACROSS THE AREA. SIGNIFICANT HOURLY RATES ARE THE DRIVER BEHIND ANY  
FLASH FLOOD PROSPECT AS WEAK SHEAR COUPLED WITH MODEST BUOYANCY  
ALLOWS FOR PULSE TYPE CONVECTION WITH SLOW CELL MOTIONS. OUTFLOWS  
GENERATED BY STORMS HAVE ALLOWED FOR LOCAL INITIATION OF  
THUNDERSTORMS CONSIDERING HOW FAVORABLE THE ENVIRONMENT IS ACROSS  
THE REGION. THIS SETUP IS ALSO CONDUCIVE FOR HEAVY RAIN PROSPECTS  
ALL THE DAY INTO NC WHERE CURRENT RADAR/SAT COMPOSITE INDICATE A  
STRONG CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS ALREADY IMPACTING THE RALEIGH  
METRO. THIS WILL CONTINUE FOR ANOTHER FEW HOURS BEFORE THE LOSS OF  
DIURNAL INSTABILITY WILL EVENTUALLY DEGRADE ANY ACTIVITY IN THE  
AREA. THIS GOES FOR AREAS OF VA AS WELL, SO THE SLGT RISK WAS  
MAINTAINED IN THESE AREAS WITH THE BEST PROSPECT FOR FLASH FLOODING  
LIKELY TO OCCUR IN THE WINDOW BETWEEN 00-06Z. THE SLGT RISK WAS  
EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE RALEIGH METRO DUE TO THE ONGOING HEAVY  
RAINFALL AND FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS IN EFFECT WITH POTENTIAL IMPACTS  
LINGERING FOR ANOTHER FEW HOURS.  
   
..NORTHERN PLAINS TO UPPER MIDWEST  
 
ENERGETIC SHORTWAVE ANALYZED UPSTREAM OVER EASTERN MT INTO THE  
WESTERN DAKOTAS WILL AID IN THE MATURATION OF A ROUND OF STRONG TO  
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS EASTERN ND/SD, EXTENDING THROUGH MN  
WITH ACTIVITY EVENTUALLY PROPAGATING EAST AND SOUTHEAST INTO WI  
OVERNIGHT. CAMS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT WITH THE SIGNATURE OF THIS  
CONVECTIVE INITIATION ALONG A FRONT DRAPED OVER THE REGION.  
INCREASED CONVERGENCE ALONG THE FRONT WILL STEM FROM A COMBINATION  
OF FRONTAL ENHANCEMENT AND THE NOSE OF AN 850MB LLJ ENTERING INTO  
THE AREA. FLOW ALOFT WILL ALIGN PARALLEL TO THE FRONT WITH SHEAR  
PROVIDED VIA A 50KT JET MAX AT 500MB. DEEP MOISTURE POOL ACROSS THE  
NORTHERN PLAINS AND MIDWEST IS PRESENT WITH PWATS BETWEEN  
1.7-2.0", VERIFIED VIA THE 00Z KMPX SOUNDING RUNNING AT 1.93"  
PWATS AS OF THE 08/00Z RAOB. HREF PROBS CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT  
CENTRAL MN AS THE FOCAL POINT, HOWEVER, HOURLY CAMS SUCH AS THE  
HRRR HAVE INFERRED THAT THE AREA OVER NORTHEAST SD DOWN THROUGH  
SOUTH-CENTRAL MN MAY END UP AS THE PRIMARY TARGET, OR AT LEAST  
PROVIDE A SECONDARY MAXIMA AS THEY ALIGN WITHIN THE QUASI-  
STATIONARY FRONT IN PLACE, AND STORM MOTIONS MOVE INTO THE WARM  
SECTOR AND BETTER LOCALIZED SHEAR OVERNIGHT. NO MATTER THE CASE,  
THE ENVIRONMENT IS RIPE FOR LOCALLY ENHANCED RAINFALL WITH HOURLY  
RATES LIKELY TO REACH 2-3"/HR IN THE STRONGEST CELL CORES LEADING  
TO RAINFALL TOTALS BETWEEN 3-5" IN SPOTS ACROSS THE REGION. MORE ON  
THIS SETUP CAN BE REVIEWED WITH THE LATEST MPD #0642 ISSUED OVER  
THE AREA OF INTEREST. THE PREVIOUS SLGT RISK WAS GENERALLY  
MAINTAINED WITH JUST A MINOR EXPANSION TO THE EAST IN WI, AND A  
NUDGE SOUTH ON THE SOUTHERN FLANK OF THE INHERITED RISK.  
 
KLEEBAUER  
 
 
DAY 2  
VALID 12Z WED JUL 08 2026 - 12Z THU JUL 09 2026  
 
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL ACROSS PORTIONS OF  
THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY/UPPER GREAT LAKES...  
 
20Z UPDATE...  
THE PREVIOUSLY ISSUED OUTLOOK STILL IN GOOD SHAPE. EVEN THOUGH  
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF MINOR ADJUSTMENTS...THERE WAS NO FUNDAMENTAL  
SHIFT IN THE FORECAST REASONING.  
 
PREVIOUS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL DISCUSSION...  
   
..CENTRAL PLAINS TO THE UPPER GREAT LAKES  
 
SEVERAL LOCATIONS REMAIN SENSITIVE GIVEN RECENT RAINS AND LOWERED  
FFGS, PARTICULARLY FOR PORTIONS OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND  
UPPER GREAT LAKES. A SLIGHT RISK AREA REMAINS WARRANTED FOR THIS  
PART OF THE COUNTRY WHERE AREAL AVERAGES OF 1-2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED  
WITH LOCALIZED SWATHS OF 3+ INCHES. CONVECTION FROM OVERNIGHT MAY  
BE WEAKENING DURING THE MORNING HOURS HOWEVER REDEVELOPMENT NEAR  
THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY MIDDAY SHOULD OCCUR OVER MINNESOTA AND  
WISCONSIN. APPROACHING SHORTWAVE ENERGY AND AN UPPER LEVEL JET  
WILL HELP DRIVE THIS UPTICK IN ACTIVITY, WITH PWS ABOVE THE  
CLIMATOLOGICAL 90TH PERCENTILE AND CAPE APPROACHING 2000 J/KG  
SUPPORTING HEAVY RAINFALL RATES. WHILE A PROGRESSIVE SQUALL LINE  
SHOULD EVENTUALLY EVOLVE, THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME  
TRAINING AND BACKBUILDING DURING THE DEVELOPMENT AND INITIAL  
UPSCALE GROWTH PHASE OF CONVECTION. A MARGINAL RISK SPANS FROM THE  
CENTRAL PLAINS TO THE GREAT LAKES AND SURROUNDING AREA.  
   
..TENNESSEE/OHIO VALLEY TO THE MID-ATLANTIC  
 
A MARGINAL RISK WAS MAINTAINED FOR THIS REGION. A SHORTWAVE MOVING  
ACROSS KENTUCKY/TENNESSEE AND A LINGERING BACKDOOR FRONT OVER  
WEST VIRGINIA/VIRGINIA SHOULD BOTH ACT AS A FOCUS FOR CONVECTIVE  
DEVELOPMENT. NOT EXPECTING ANYTHING TOO ORGANIZED OR WIDESPREAD,  
BUT ENOUGH MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL BE AROUND TO SUPPORT  
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL RATES.  
 
CAMPBELL  
 
DAY 3  
VALID 12Z THU JUL 09 2026 - 12Z FRI JUL 10 2026  
 
...THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL ACROSS PORTIONS  
OF THE NORTHERN/CENTRAL PLAINS, MIDWEST, OHIO/TENNESSEE VALLEYS  
AND GREAT LAKES REGION...  
 
STRONGER FLOW WILL INITIALLY REMAIN ALONG THE NORTHERN TIER OF THE  
CONUS EARLY TO MID-WEEK WITH MEAN UPPER-RIDGING ACROSS THE WESTERN  
TO CENTRAL UNITED STATES. EMBEDDED SHORTWAVES ROUNDING THE UPPER-  
RIDGE WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO DEEPENING TROUGHING ACROSS THE THE  
MIDWEST AND ADJACENT AREAS ON THURSDAY. THE SOUTHWARD SHIFT OF  
STRONGER FLOW ALOFT INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS EAST THROUGH THE MIDDLE  
MISSISSIPPI/OHIO/TENNESSEE VALLEYS AND LOWER GREAT LAKES WILL  
BRING A BETTER CHANCE FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE  
REGION.  
 
SEASONABLY HIGH INSTABILITY AND MOISTURE POOLING SOUTHWARD OF A WAVY  
COLD FRONT WILL SUPPORT LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL RATES WITH TRAINING  
POTENTIAL OVER THE REGION. THAT WILL COMPOUND IMPACTS FROM  
CONVECTION THE PREVIOUS FORECAST PERIOD. A LARGE AREA OF 1-2 INCH AREAL  
AVERAGE TOTALS WITH EMBEDDED HIGHER AMOUNTS POSITIONED OVER THE  
SOUTHERN-THIRD OF ILLINOIS/INDIANA/OHIO THROUGH MUCH OF KENTUCKY  
INTO WEST VIRGINIA. THIS IS COINCIDENT WITH THE PROGRESSION OF BOTH  
THE FRONT AND A STRENGTHENING SHORTWAVE TROUGH MIGRATING OUT OF  
THE CENTRAL PLAINS INTO THE REGION AS WE MOVE INTO FRIDAY. MACHINE  
LEARNING OUTPUT IS ALSO FAVORING THE OHIO RIVER BASIN INTO THE  
CENTRAL APPALACHIANS EXTENDED FROM SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA DOWN  
THROUGH WEST VIRGINIA AS TERRAIN INFLUENCES ALONG WITH THE SYNOPTIC  
EVOLUTION WILL COUPLE INTO A TARGETED THREAT FOR HEAVY RAINFALL  
AND LOCAL MAXIMA SUFFICIENT FOR SCATTERED FLASH FLOOD PROSPECTS.  
 
BANN  
 
 
DAY 4 AND DAY 5  
 
VALID 12Z FRI JUL 10 2026 - 12Z SUN JUL 12 2026  
 
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL ACROSS PORTIONS OF  
THE OHIO/MID-MISSISSIPPI VALLEYS AND CENTRAL APPALACHIANS ON  
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...  
   
..OHIO AND MID-MISSISSIPPI VALLEY'S  
 
20Z UPDATE: THE PREVIOUS FORECAST WAS GENERALLY MAINTAINED WITH THE  
OVERALL SYNOPTIC PATTERN STILL MAINTAINING CONTINUITY IN THE  
PROPOSED EVOLUTION AT BOTH THE UPPER LEVELS AND AT THE SURFACE.  
ENSEMBLES CONTINUE TO INDICATE A MULTI-DAY BOUT OF HEAVY RAINFALL  
ACROSS THE MID-MISSISSIPPI TO OHIO VALLEY IN CONJUNCTION WITH BOTH  
MID-LEVEL ASCENT AND THE PROXY OF A COLD/QUASI-STATIONARY FRONT  
THAT WILL AID IN SCATTERED TO WIDESPREAD CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY IN-OF  
A VERY MOIST ENVIRONMENT POSITIONED OVER THE REGION. THE TRENDS IN  
GUIDANCE INDICATE A BIT MORE EMPHASIS FURTHER WEST INTO MO WITH  
EVEN THE D4 SHOWING AN EXTENSION OF HEAVY RAIN PROSPECTS BACK INTO  
THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS THANKS TO A LIKELY CONVECTIVE COMPLEX  
DEVELOPING AROUND THE EASTERN FLANK OF A STRENGTHENING RIDGE OVER  
THE FOUR CORNERS. CLASSIC SUMMER PATTERN MATERIALIZING FOR AREAS  
WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI, SO THE THREAT FOR ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING  
WILL LIKELY HAVE SOME FOOTING IN THE EXTENDED WITH D4 THE FIRST  
PROSPECTUS DAY FOR THE THREAT. THE SLGT RISK INHERITED WAS EXPANDED  
INTO THE MID-MISSISSIPPI AREA OF EASTERN MO ON D4 AND ACROSS  
SOUTHERN MO ON D5 GIVEN THE TRENDS. THE MRGL RISK EXPANDS WESTWARD  
INTO THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS ON D4.  
 
KLEEBAUER  
 
..PREVIOUS DISCUSSION..  
 
STRONGER FLOW WILL INITIALLY REMAIN ALONG THE NORTHERN TIER OF THE  
CONUS THROUGH MID-WEEK WITH MEAN UPPER-RIDGING ACROSS THE WESTERN  
TO CENTRAL U.S. EMBEDDED SHORTWAVES ROUNDING THE UPPER-RIDGE WILL  
EVENTUALLY LEAD TO DEEPENING TROUGHING ACROSS THE THE MIDWEST AND  
ADJACENT AREAS BY THURSDAY. THE SOUTHWARD SHIFT OF STRONGER FLOW  
ALOFT WILL BRING INCREASINGLY WIDESPREAD STORM CHANCES FROM THE  
CENTRAL PLAINS EAST THROUGH THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY INTO THE  
OHIO/TENNESSEE VALLEYS AND CENTRAL APPALACHIANS. SEASONABLY HIGH  
INSTABILITY AND MOISTURE POOLING ALONG A SOUTHWARD PROGRESSING,  
WAVY COLD FRONT WILL LEAD TO MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF HEAVY RAIN-  
PRODUCING STORMS LATER THIS WEEK AND INTO THE WEEKEND. MEAN FLOW  
GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE EAST-WEST ORIENTED FRONT WILL SUPPORT  
CLUSTERING/TRAINING STORMS INCREASING THE THREAT FOR LONGER-  
DURATION RAINFALL AND HIGHER TOTALS. THE EMBEDDED WAVES WILL HELP  
TO SLOW THE FRONTAL PROGRESSION AT TIMES ALSO HELPING TO INCREASE  
THE CHANCE FOR REPEATED ROUNDS/TRAINING OF STORMS. FOR FRIDAY (DAY  
4), THE LATEST GUIDANCE SHOWS WIDESPREAD AREAL AVERAGE RAINFALL OF  
1-2" WITH GOOD OVERLAP BETWEEN THE ENSEMBLE MEANS AND AI GUIDANCE  
FAVORING THE OHIO/TENNESSEE VALLEYS INTO THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS,  
WHERE A SLIGHT RISK HAS BEEN MAINTAINED. WHILE THE GUIDANCE IS NOT  
QUITE AS BULLISH ON AMOUNTS YET ON SATURDAY (DAY 5), A SIMILAR SET  
UP WILL SUPPORT ADDITIONAL LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL, WITH THE CONCERN  
BEING THAT MUCH OF THE MEAN/AI GUIDANCE OVERLAPS SIMILAR REGIONS  
TO FRIDAY, FAVORING THE MIDDLE TO UPPER OHIO/TENNESSEE VALLEYS INTO  
THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS. GIVEN THE INCREASINGLY WET ANTECEDENT  
CONDITIONS EXPECTED FROM THE PRIOR DAYS WITH ADDITIONAL STORMS  
LIKELY, ANOTHER SLIGHT RISK HAS BEEN INTRODUCED.  
 
PUTNAM  
   
..SOUTHWEST U.S  
 
MONSOONAL ACTIVITY WILL FINALLY MAKE AN APPEARANCE BY THE END OF  
THE WEEK WITH THE THREAT RAMPING UP INTO SOME MORE APPRECIABLE IN  
REGARDS TO MAGNITUDE AND COVERAGE ACROSS THE TERRAIN OF  
SOUTHEASTERN AND CENTRAL AZ, MAINLY FOLLOWING THE HUACHUCAS UP  
THROUGH THE MOGOLLON RIM IN EAST-CENTRAL AZ. PWATS WILL SURGE NORTH  
ALONG PREVAILING SOUTHERLY FLOW ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE BROAD  
UPPER RIDGE CENTERED OVER THE FOUR CORNERS. QPF SIGNATURES ARE  
TEXTBOOK IN MONSOONAL CONVECTION BILLOWING UP ACROSS THE TERRAIN AT  
LEAD WHICH IS A GOOD INDICATOR OF AT LEAST THE ISOLATED THREAT OF  
FLASH FLOODING TO KICK OFF THE MONSOON SEASON ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST.  
A MRGL RISK HAS BEEN ADDED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE THREAT ON D5 WITH  
PERHAPS AN UPGRADE PLAUSIBLE ON D4, BUT SIGNALS ARE NOT AS PROLIFIC  
ON FRIDAY COMPARED TO SATURDAY ON BOTH THE GLOBAL DETERMINISTIC AND  
THEIR ENSEMBLES.  
 
KLEEBAUER  
 
 
DAY 1 THREAT AREA: HTTPS://WWW.WPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/QPF/94EPOINTS.TXT  
DAY 2 THREAT AREA: HTTPS://WWW.WPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/QPF/98EPOINTS.TXT  
DAY 3 THREAT AREA: HTTPS://WWW.WPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/QPF/99EPOINTS.TXT  
 
 
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