Tuesday's Weather Outlook

Much of the U.S. gets a break in the heat on Tuesday thanks to a potent cold front and plenty of cloud cover and rain chances. The exception is the Western U.S., which will bake in hot and dry weather.

A cold front that has been stalled over the East Coast the past few days will slowly inch east on Tuesday. The northern fringes of this cold front will already be south and east of the Northeast and most of the Mid-Atlantic, and high pressure will start to build in. However, the southern end of the front will continue to squeeze out plenty of moisture over the Southeast.

Widespread rain and thunderstorms will soak the Southeast, Deep South, Tennessee Valley and southern Mid-Atlantic throughout the day. There will be the potential for repeated, slow-moving rounds of moderate to heavy rain along this cold front. With soils already being saturated from recent rainfall, any new rainfall with likely exacerbate flooding concerns, especially near rivers, creeks and streams along with urban, low-lying and other more flood-prone areas. There could also be some gusty winds in thunderstorms throughout the Southeast.

Farther west, a second cold front will slowly advance through the Midwest. This cold front will also collide with some monsoonal moisture over the Four Corners states. Showers and thunderstorms will be likely in the afternoon and evening across the Four Corners states into the central Plains, Upper Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes.

Like the Southeast, torrential downpours will be a possibility across the Southwest into the Lower Midwest. Flooding will also be a concern given heavy rain rates on top of already saturated soils. A few thunderstorms could also contain gusty winds.

A weak onshore flow could allow for some moisture to move into the western Gulf Coast. As a result, isolated showers and thunderstorms cannot be ruled out. Otherwise, the southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley will largely remain dry.

Areas west of the Rocky Mountains will remain settled under high pressure, which will foster dry, quiet weather. The northern Rockies/Plains as well as the Ohio Valley, northern Mid-Atlantic and Northeast will also be worry-free in terms of precipitation.

Unseasonably hot weather will remain throughout the West Coast into the Southwest and south-central U.S., while cooler than normal temperatures will be in the forecast for the north-central U.S. and Southeast. The rest of the East Coast will end up with near or slightly below normal temperatures.

Sixties and 70s are anticipated across the Rocky Mountains into the northern half of the Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley. However, the tallest peaks of the Rockies could only see highs in the 50s, while the lowest elevations could see the mercury climb into the lower 80s. Expect 70s and 80s across the Great Lakes, Ohio and Tennessee valleys and much of the Eastern Seaboard. A few spots closer to the Gulf Coast could see temperatures peak in the 90s.

Eighties and 90s will cover most of the West and south-central U.S., though a few 100s are possible in the southern Plains. California’s Central Valley into the Desert Southwest will soar well past 100 degrees, with some spots approaching 120 degrees!