The last few days of The Dog Days of Summer, the period from July 3rd to August 11th, will be coming to an end this week.
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For large parts of the nation, no significant changes are on tap, while others will begin to see some trends toward cooler temps.
Heat will continue to be in place over the next few days from the interior Northwest, eastward across the Plains.
There is not expected to be any record highs across these areas, but temperatures will remain above average, with mid to upper 90s widespread.
The first signs of changes in store for large portions of the nation from the Great Lakes to the east coast begin Tuesday and Wednesday as a cold front begins to sink southeastward across the Northern Plains into the Upper Mississippi Valley and Upper Lakes region.
This front will eventually bring much cooler temps to areas east of the Mississippi late week.
Prior to this, heat will also continue into Tuesday across the east coast before a lead front pushing southeastward across the Ohio Valley and Northeast brings somewhat cooler temps by Wednesday.
The lead front pushing southeast through the Ohio Valley and Northeast will be the focus for potentially heavy rains and flash flooding along and ahead of this front into Wednesday.
This will especially so from portions of the Mid Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley into the Central Appalachians which have seen much above average rain over the past few weeks, leading to above average levels of soil moisture and elevated stream flows.
Additional heavy rains across these areas may lead to life-threatening flash flooding conditions.
No big changes expected to the recent overall pattern across large portions of the west.
A building mid to upper level high situated across the Rockies will continue to pump much above average levels of moisture northward on its western edge from the Southwest, portions of California, northward through the Great Basin.
This will continue to support widespread scattered monsoonal showers and thunderstorms across these areas over the next few days.
Isolated flash flooding is possible across these areas, especially over burn scars, slot canyons, dry river beds or urban areas.
No changes expected also across the southeast quarter of the nation.
The frontal boundary pressing into the Ohio Valley and Northeast will not make any headway into the southeast quarter of the nation with humid conditions prevailing.
Widespread showers and thunderstorms also possible with areas of the Lower Mississippi Valley and Central Gulf Coast having the best chances for heavy rains.
The clouds and rain across this area will also keep high temperatures over the next few days slightly below average. ■
A clipper system will move quickly across the northern Plains into the Midwest Friday and the Northeast by Saturday, bringing a wintry mix of rain and snow showers ahead of a sweeping cold front.