RadioMan763.com
HOME - SUPPORT THIS JOURNAL - MENU
National Weather Service
Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
233 AM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026
Valid 12Z Thu Mar 26 2026 - 12Z Sat Mar 28 2026
...Record-breaking heat expands into the Midwest today...
...Severe thunderstorms likely across the Mid-Mississippi and Ohio Valleys this afternoon and evening...
...Much colder temperatures for the central and eastern U.S. Friday and Saturday...
Record-breaking heat has been making headlines over the past couple weeks, and we aren't done with it yet. Above average temperatures will persist across the Southwest and Plains and expand into the Midwest today. The greatest temperature anomalies are expected from the central/southern High Plains to Illinois and Indiana, where high temperatures are forecast to reach 25-35 degrees above average. Temperatures will challenge numerous daily records today from the Southwest to the Midwest. The intensity of the heat should turn down a notch on Friday, but above average temperatures are still expected in the Southwest and Southeast.
A strong cold front will bring relief from the heat to the central and eastern U.S. by the end of the week. The cold front will push south across the northern half of the nation today, then push past the south-central and southeastern U.S. on Friday. Conditions will be favorable for scattered severe storm development across the Mid-Mississippi and Ohio Valleys late this afternoon into this evening. Potential storm hazards will include very large hail, a few tornadoes, and severe wind gusts. Elsewhere along the front, isolated precipitation chances will be possible, with wintry precipitation possible across the northern tier. Strong high pressure will spread across the central and eastern U.S. in the wake of the front, which will usher in drier weather and colder temperatures for the end of the week. Temperatures will drop as much as 20-30 degrees on the backside of the strong cold front.
In the western U.S., the frontal boundary will weaken as it moves south across the region, resulting in only limited relief from the heat. The front will be accompanied by wintry precipitation across the northern Rockies this morning, then the frontal passage will be mainly dry across the Great Basin and Southwest. The front will also be accompanied by strong gusty winds, which will support Elevated to Critical fire weather conditions across the central/southern Rockies and Plains today.
Dolan