Heat and heavy rainfall fill the headlines that you will be hearing this week. Before I break those down, MONTHLY MEMBERS, I posted a mid-month update to your most recent discussion, click here to access.

THE PATTERN

Here are the big-ticket items for the next two weeks (note that at the moment, there are no suspect areas in the hurricane regions).

This week:

• Heatwave and wildfire threats to build over much of the West this week and into next week.

• Air quality and heat are an issue across much of Western Canada for BC and AB. Eastern Canada has heat to deal with for the Maritimes.

• Heavy rainfall threat for the Four Corners States and South-Central Rockies/High Plains and also the South/Southeast and southern Mid-Atlantic.

• Chances for damaging thunderstorms as severe weather focuses on parts of the Plains, Midwest, and East today and tomorrow.

Next week:

• High risk of excessive heat across portions of the Great Basin, Northern Rockies, and Northern High Plains, Sat-Mon, Jul 20-22.

• Moderate risk of excessive heat across portions of the interior Pacific Northwest, Great Basin, California, Desert Southwest, Rockies, and Northern and Central High Plains, Sat-Wed, Jul 20-24.

• Slight risk of excessive heat across much of the western CONUS and High Plains, Sat-Fri, Jul 20-26.

• Moderate risk of heavy precipitation across southeastern Virginia and the Carolinas, Sat-Sun, Jul 20-21.

• Slight risk of heavy precipitation across portions of the southern Mid-Atlantic, southern Appalachians, Southeast, and Tennessee Valley, Sat-Tue, Jul 20-23.

• Slight risk of periods of heavy precipitation for portions of the Southwest and Central and Southern Rockies, Sat-Fri, Jul 20-26.

• Slight risk of episodic high winds for portions of California and the Pacific Northwest, Sat-Mon, Jul 20-22.

• Rapid Onset Drought risk for portions of the Ohio, Tennessee, and Lower Mississippi Valleys, and Northern Plains.

  -List compiled from WPC data/text

ON THE RADAR

POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER AREAS:

IN THE GAUGES

Total precipitation this week: Heavy rainfall will focus on two primary regions, the Four Corners/Southwest and the Southeastern Coast. Another dry week on tap for much of the West, Northwest, and Canadian Prairies - eastern Canada to cash in on more moisture. For New Mexico and Colorado, some areas of 3+ inches are on the way this week, valuable rainfall continues from this area toward the east to give the Plains a drink. The Southeast will have areas of more than six inches of rainfall.

MERCURY RISING

A look at the potential daily record highs to be set this week. Denver broke a 146-year-old record over the weekend. Weather5280 has that and the outlook for Colorado. Click here to access.

ARE YOU CIRRUS?

Rare for this part of Colorado, a landspout was recorded just west of Castle Rock - an area that has many bluffs/mesas in the foothills. Not a total stranger to tornadoes - there have been a few, but it sure isn’t common for a landspout here. This post discusses what a landspout is versus dust devils and tornadoes.