The Nations Weather

NATIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY:

Across the East, a low pressure system brought rain to the Northeast, with scattered showers and thunderstorms from the Mid-Atlantic to northern Florida. During the afternoon some of storms produced hail and strong wind gusts across Virginia, North Carolina, and eastern South Carolina. Large hail busted out windshields on I-85 in North Carolina. There was one possible tornado touchdown, 2 miles southwest of Moonlight, Va. Rainfall totals were generally between a quarter inch and three quarters of an inch, but isolated areas received over one inch of rain. Rain amounts were heavy in the Delmarva region. Baltimore picked up 1.23 inches while Atlantic City, N.J. picked up 1/35 inches, a new record for them yesterday. Dry weather prevailed over most of the Tennessee Valley and Deep South, although isolated showers did develop in central and eastern Tennessee overnight.

Over the mid-section of the nation, a low pressure system stalled out across the Great Lakes, spreading plenty of showers across Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, as well as Illinois and the Ohio Valley yesterday. A few isolated afternoon thunderstorms we noted across Illinois, however, no severe weather was reported. Rainfall amounts were heaviest across Michigan and Wisconsin where moderate rains persisted through the day and continued overnight. Milwaukee picked up 0.70 inches while Green Bay reported 0.81 inches. Alpena, Mich. reported a new record of 0.90 inches yesterday. Heavy snows fell through the period across northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. Most areas have reported 3 to 8 inches, however, areas in Houghton and Ontonagon counties of Michigan reported up to 11 inches with additional amounts falling overnight.

Across the west, dry weather prevailed and so did the record warmth. More record highs were reported across California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Downtown Los Angeles topped out at 100 degrees, breaking the old record of 96 degrees back in 1958. Long Beach, Calif. also reported and new record high of 100 degrees. The San Francisco Bay area also notched some record highs yesterday. Oakland came in with a 91 degree reading, shattered the old mark of 79 degrees. Even Seattle-Tacoma set a record with 74 degrees. At least one more day of warm weather is expected across the west.

WEATHER EXTREMES FOR YESTERDAY:

HIGHEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F).............105 Death Valley, Calif.

HIGHEST HEAT INDEX (DEGREES F)...............95 San Diego, Calif.

LOWEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)...............18 Houlton, Maine

LOWEST WIND CHILL (DEGREES F)................18 Houlton, Maine

HIGHEST WIND GUST (MPH)......................63 Pottstown, Pa.

HIGHEST PRECIPITATION (INCHES).............1.54 Detroit, Mich.

ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY:

In 1967, 48 tornadoes touched down across the Upper Midwest. Northern Illinois was the hardest hit. Sixteen tornadoes touched down during the afternoon and evening hours. One tornado struck Belvidere, Ill. and the Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn, killing 57 people.

In 1989, Las Animas, Colo. set a new state record for April as temperatures topped out at 100 degrees. In all, twenty-two cities across the central and southwestern U.S. reported new record highs for the date.

In 1990, severe thunderstorms produced golf ball size hail at Roswell, N.M. and El Paso, Texas.

Filed by DTN-Meteorlogix

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