This week's preciptation forecast highlights heavy rain soaking the South where 3 " may fall over the lower MS valley. Mid-week the Desert Southwest will also see moderate rain, helping relieve drought conditons. Late-week there's potential for heavy snow in the southern Rockies. | NOAA NWS Weather Prediction Center

Here's the precipitation forecast for this week. Heavy rain in the Northeast could cause flash flooding over the next couple of days--see our excessive rainfall outlooks here: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/#page=ero. Other hotspots for rain include the Southwest, south-central U.S., and Midwest. | NOAA NWS Weather Prediction Center

Here is an example of how we can use model data to visualize where storms form and the airflow around them. In this loop, green/yellow/red colors show precipitation from where this model thinks storms will form later this afternoon and evening. The gray/blue colors that flow out from these areas of precipitation are showing where the temperature changes quickly over a small distance - these are "outflow boundaries" where relatively cooler air spreads out from the downdrafts of the thunderstorms.

Here is one model's representation of the approaching rainfall over the next few hours. | US National Weather Service Gray ME