462  
FXUS01 KWBC 180452  
PMDSPD  
 
SHORT RANGE FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD  
1251 AM EDT FRI SEP 18 2026  
 
VALID 12Z FRI SEP 18 2026 - 12Z SUN SEP 20 2026  
 
...HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOODING CONCERNS OVER NORTH-CENTRAL U.S.  
THROUGH THE WEEKEND...  
 
...POTENTIAL RECORD BREAKING HIGH TEMPERATURES CONTINUE ACROSS THE  
SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S. THROUGH THE WEEKEND...  
 
A PROGRESSIVE UPPER-LEVEL LOW OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WILL MOVE  
EASTWARD ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER, BRINGING ACTIVE WEATHER ACROSS  
THE NORTHERN ROCKIES INTO THE GREAT LAKES INTO THE WEEKEND. THE  
DISTURBANCE WILL HELP PUSH THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY INTO THE  
ROCKIES/PLAINS BY FRIDAY, WHICH WILL PROVIDE THE PRIMARY FORCING  
FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. A DEEP PLUME OF WARM MOISTURE WILL  
ACCOMPANY THE SYSTEM, WHILE INSTABILITY CONTINUES TO INCREASE  
AHEAD OF THE DISTURBANCE. THIS SETUP MAY PRODUCE REPEATED  
CONVECTION, WHICH WILL LEAD TO HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLASH FLOODING  
CONCERNS ACROSS THE ROCKIES/PLAINS EASTWARD INTO THE UPPER  
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND MIDWEST. ON SATURDAY, THE SYSTEM CONTINUES  
TO PROGRESS EASTWARD INTO THE GREAT LAKES, WHILE A MOIST AND  
UNSTABLE AIRMASS REMAINS IN PLACE AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM. THIS WILL  
SHIFT THE HEAVY RAINFALL/FLASH FLOODING POTENTIAL INTO PORTIONS OF  
THE MIDWEST, OHIO VALLEY, AND LOWER GREAT LAKES THROUGH SATURDAY.  
GRADUALLY THE SYSTEM MOVES TOWARDS THE NORTHEAST/MID-ATLANTIC BY  
LATE SATURDAY/EARLY SUNDAY.  
 
MEANWHILE, A PORTION OF THE FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL DRAPE SOUTHWARD  
ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE MID-ATLANTIC/SOUTHEAST, BRINGING SHOWERS  
AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE BOUNDARY. THE COMBINATION OF DEEP  
TROPICAL MOISTURE AND SLOW MOVING SYSTEMS, HIGH RAINFALL RATES MAY  
LEAD TO EXCESSIVE RAINFALL ACROSS PORTIONS OF FLORIDA THROUGH  
SATURDAY. ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND FOUR CORNERS, MONSOONAL  
ACTIVITY WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE AND SHIFT SLIGHTLY EAST BY  
SATURDAY BUT RESIDUAL MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE ISOLATED  
AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS, PARTICULARLY OVER HIGHER  
TERRAIN.  
 
IN CONTRAST TO AN ACTIVE NORTHERN TIER, RIDGING OVER THE SOUTHERN  
PLAINS AND SOUTHEAST WILL MAINTAIN HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS ACROSS  
MUCH OF THE SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN WELL ABOVE  
SEASONAL WITH HIGHS IN THE 90S TO LOW 100S, WITH SOME LOCATIONS  
POTENTIALLY APPROACHING OR EXCEEDING DAILY RECORD VALUES. WITH  
OVERNIGHT LOWS REMAINING WELL IN THE 70S, RECOVERY WILL BE  
MINIMUM. THEREFORE, WIDESPREAD MODERATE TO EXTREME HEATRISK WILL  
BE FORECASTED THROUGH THE WEEKEND. OTHERWISE, NEAR OR SLIGHTLY  
BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WILL BUILD ACROSS MUCH OF WESTERN U.S.  
AND ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER.  
 
OUDIT  
 
GRAPHICS AVAILABLE AT  
HTTPS://WWW.WPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/BASICWX/BASICWX_NDFD.PHP  
 
 
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