Francine will continue to weaken today as its low pressure center meanders east across northern Arkansas.
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A stationary boundary extending from the occluded system will remain parked across the Southeast and provide a focus for showers and thunderstorms through Saturday.
The storm's slow motion will result in multiple days of heavy rain for the Southeast, which will create a flash flooding risk.
There is a Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall (level 2/4) today from western Tennessee through northern and central Alabama to central/southern Georgia, with an embedded Moderate Risk (level 3/4) for portions of northern and central Alabama.
Flooding will be most likely in urban and poor drainage areas and areas that receive training/repeat convection, and locally considerable flash flooding may be possible, especially where soils are already saturated from previous rainfall.
The flash flood threat will continue for these areas on Saturday with another Slight Risk (level 2/4).
Flood Watches are in effect for much of the risk area.
If you encounter flooding, turn around, don't drown.
It is never safe to walk or drive into flood waters, and most flood fatalities occur in vehicles.
Isolated severe thunderstorms will also be possible for parts of the Southeast today where the Storm Prediction Center has issues a Marginal Risk of Severe Thunderstorms (level 1/5).
Severe storm hazards may include a few tornadoes or severe wind gusts.
The flash flood and severe weather threats associated with Francine will gradually decease through the weekend, and the remnants will begin moving south Saturday night and stall along the Gulf Coast on Sunday.
Another area of low pressure is forecast to form along the stalled frontal boundary off the Southeast Coast, which will create stormy weather from Florida through the eastern Carolinas through this weekend into early next week.
In the north, an occluded low pressure system north of Montana will push further into Canada today and Saturday and will bring a weak cold front across the northern and central Plains.
Precipitation will linger on the backside of the low in the northern Rockies and northern High Plains this morning, and cold air will allow for snow and mixed wintry precipitation at higher elevations.
Shower and thunderstorm chances will accompany the weak cold front through Saturday.
Strong high pressure over the Northeast will prevent the front from making significant eastward progress, and the front will weaken and dissipate on Sunday.
In the West, a stronger Pacific frontal system will approach the coast later today and move inland over the weekend.
Precipitation chances will begin in the Northwest late tonight/early Saturday and spread across the Great Basin and northern California Sunday into Monday.
Precipitation chances will also increase across portions of the Southwest on Sunday as tropical moisture from Ileana spreads north.
Temperatures will be on the rise this weekend across the Central U.S. and Northeast, with high temperatures forecast to reach values as high as 10-15 degrees above normal for this time of year.
Highs in the 80s and 90s will be common for the Plains, Upper Midwest/Great Lakes, and Northeast.
Precipitation and cloud cover from Francine will keep temperatures below average for much of the Southeast.
Temperatures across much of the West will be near to slightly below average through Saturday.
On Sunday, the Pacific frontal system will usher in cooler, unsettled weather, and temperatures will drop to well below normal along the West Coast. ■
Predominant upper-level ridging stretching from the Southwest to the southern High Plains will allow for another day of record-breaking heat across parts of Nevada and Arizona today.