034 FXUS01 KWBC 261826 PMDSPD Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 225 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026 Valid 00Z Fri Mar 27 2026 - 00Z Sun Mar 29 2026 ...Record-breaking heat continues to expand eastward... ...Severe thunderstorms likely across the Mid-Mississippi and Ohio Valleys this afternoon and evening... ...A cooler and calmer weekend is in store for much of the eastern half of the country... Record-breaking heat is set to continue moving eastward over the next couple of days. The heat will move into the eastern Plains and Midwest today, and the Southeast on Friday, as an upper-level ridge continues to round out and weaken in the southern United States. 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. Numerous daily records are expected to be tied or broken today in the Central and Southern Plains, and Friday in the Southeast. Meanwhile, a strong cold front will bring a reprieve from the heat to the central and eastern U.S. to end the week. The front will continue pushing south across the northern half of the country through the rest of the day, then progress past the south-central and southeastern U.S. on Friday. While the passage of the front will favor the northern parts of the country with cooler temperatures, it will also bring strong to severe scattered thunderstorms across the Mid-Mississippi and Ohio Valleys this afternoon and evening. Thunderstorms will bring hazards including damaging winds over 70mph, very large hail, and potentially a few strong tornadoes. Afterwards, strong high pressure will spread across the central and eastern U.S. in the wake of the front, ushering 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 cold front. Further west, a weak and dry frontal boundary will aid in cooling and drying portions of the Central and Southern Rockies today and Friday. This will be accompanied by strong and gusty winds, which will support Elevated to Critical fire weather conditions across the central/southern Rockies and Plains today. Otherwise, an unusually calmer weekend is expected for the vast majority of the Continental U.S., with only isolated precipitation possible in parts of southern Texas, and showers/thunderstorms in southern Florida. Blanco-Alcala/Dolan Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php $$