A cold front sweeping through the East Coast and Southeast will be the focus for thunderstorms over the next couple of days.
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An upper trough centered over Hudson Bay will support a surface low pressure system moving through the interior Northeast today.
Thunderstorms (some potentially severe) and heavy rainfall are forecast for the interior Northeast.
An axis of especially heavy rainfall may develop over portions of eastern New York/Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Vermont where a Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall leading to Flash Flooding is in effect.
Rain rates of over an inch coupled with upslope enhancement are likely to cause runoff issues over the already saturated Adirondacks and Green Mountains.
Elsewhere, shortwave energy and a cold front will work in tandem to provide instability, moisture flux and a focus for heavy rainfall along a zonal axis extending from northeastern Oklahoma to southern Georgia.
Slight Risks of Excessive Rainfall leading to Flash Flooding as well as Severe Thunderstorms are in effect for the Oklahoma to Georgia corridor where pockets of over an inch of rainfall, wind damage and hail are expected.
Monsoonal moisture will support additional flash flooding concerns over Arizona and especially New Mexico today, where another Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall leading to Flash Flooding is in effect.
Temperatures are expected to drop off substantially on the backside of the cold front.
High temperatures are likely to be in the 70s and low 80s across the Great Plains and Midwest through Saturday, which will be 10-25 degrees below average for this time of year.
A dangerous, long-lived, and record breaking heat wave will continue over the Southwest through this weekend, particularly in the low desert areas, with triple digit high temperatures also extending northward into the Central Great Basin this weekend.
Oppressive heat and humidity are forecast to create widespread 105-110 degree heat indices across the Mid-South, Southeast and Gulf Coast through early this weekend.
Take the heat seriously and avoid extended time outdoors.
Temperatures and heat indices will reach levels that would pose a health risk, and be potentially deadly to anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration.
Nighttime temperatures will provide very little relief.
Heat is the leading weather-related killer in the U.S. ■