(AP) — As patchy rain pushes across New England and portions of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, locally heavy showers and gusty thunderstorms will extend from the Ohio Valley to parts of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware today.

Localized flash flooding is most likely from the Appalachians on west.

As heat builds over the South Central states, severe thunderstorms will erupt over portions of the northern Plains and the Upper Midwest. All modes of severe weather are possible ranging from hail and high winds to flash flooding and a few tornadoes.

Much colder air will push inland over the Northwest and across the northern Rockies. Rain showers with high-elevation snow showers are in store for the region.

The Southwest will remain dry with an elevated fire danger with locally gusty winds.