A blocking pattern will be in place across the country with a ridge of high pressure in the west, a high-pressure system off the east coast in the Atlantic, and will leave a trough in the central part of the country. This will be the recipe for heat in the Pacific Northwest where Excessive Heat Warnings are in effect with widespread 100s expected across much of WA, OR, Western ID, and Northern CA, and an active stretch of showers and storms across parts of the Plains, Midwest, and Great Lakes. Though much of the Plains, Midwest, and Great Lakes will have at least scattered shower and storm chance, but the key feature will be a front that will be draped from somewhere in the southern plains to the eastern Great lakes during this period and will be the focal point of storms with heavy rain. Several inches of accumulation are expected where these storms develop in the vicinity of this front, and as of now, the better chances look to be from the TX panhandle to lower MI. If this occurs it will bring much-needed rain to areas facing drought situations in eastern NM, IA, southeast MN, southern WI, northern IL, and much of lower MI, while little relief from drought conditions is expected for central and northern MN, and the Dakotas.