Tropical Storm Idalia continues to track east this afternoon farther and farther off the Southeast coast.
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Idalia's western flank is still generating tropical storm force wind gusts, high surf, and periods of rain this afternoon along the coastal Mid-Atlantic, but winds should gradually lessen and showers push off the coast later tonight.
By Thursday, the only lingering affects from Idalia will be rough surf and occasionally gusty winds.
As the calendar flips over to September, signaling the begin of meteorological autumn, the top story will be how temperatures feel like anything but autumn in the Nation's Heartland.
This is due to a strengthening ridge of high pressure aloft that allows for increasingly hot conditions Friday and into the holiday weekend.
Today's footprint of 90s-low 100s high temps in the southern and central Plains will expand into the northern High Plains and Upper Midwest on Friday.
The heat dome on Saturday will expand eastward to the western Great Lakes, allowing for an even larger areal extent for 90s-low 100s high temps throughout the Heartland.
Record breaking daytime highs are possible each day in the Great Plains, as well as in parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley by Saturday.
This regime of sizzling high temperatures will spill over into the rest of the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley by Sunday and eventually working their way into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic for Labor Day.
In contrast, the West Coast will be mired in a cooler than normal temperature regime thanks to a slow moving and deepening upper level low overhead.
A strong cold front will be responsible for ushering in daytime highs that range between 10-20 degrees below normal for much of California and into the Desert Southwest both Friday and Saturday.
This upper low will also work in concert with the upper level ridge over the Heartland to deliver monsoon moisture to the Southwest and Intermountain West.
The Weather Prediction Center (WPC) has a pair of Slight Risks (threat level 2/4) in parts of the Southwest, specifically in parts of Arizona, southern Utah, and southern Nevada.
There is also a chance for some of these storms to become severe, as evidence by the Marginal Risks (threat level 1/5) issued by the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) this afternoon and Friday.
Flash flooding is possible in these areas, especially in dry washes and spots featuring sensitive soils.
Farther east, a stationary front will be the catalyst for daily rounds of heavy showers and thunderstorms along the central Gulf Coast and into Florida.
There is a Slight Risk for Excessive Rainfall for the Big Bend of Florida on Friday, where they remain quite sensitive to heavy rainfall in wake of Idalia.
On the flip side, dry conditions will be common from the Great Plains and Ohio Valley to the Northeast through Saturday and potentially into the remainder of Labor Day weekend.
Friday appears to be another pleasant day in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic with daytime highs near average and comfortable humidity levels.
Look for temps to rebound to more summer-like levels for the second half of the upcoming weekend. ■