A sizeable patern shift brings a strong ridge and above average temperatures to well above average to nearly all of the the eastern 1/2 of the US for the week after next. Near normal elsewhere except still a little below normal over the cursed Pac NW.

This week's main feature is a large, very slowly moving low-pressure system over the the southern Ohio Valley that will bring showers, thunderstorms and locally heavy rains to much of the NE, lower Great Lakes and Ohio Valley.

A storm currently offshore Washington State will spilt, with half of it heading N and the other half reaching New Mexico after mid week. It will bring widespread rain/T-storms to the 4 corners states on Wednesday that will spread into the southern plains Thursday and Arkansas/TN later Thursday-Friday...as if they need it. Cool to start, TX/OK will warm up to above average temps by the middle of the week.