The Nations Weather

NATIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY:

A cold front extends from the Great Lakes to Texas and will continue tracking towards the east today. There is a sharp temperature difference on either side of this front front with mild temperatures ahead of the front and very cold temperatures behind the front. The temperature contrast is most evident across Texas where temperatures have climbed into the lower 80s ahead of the front and fall off sharply into the lower and middle 40s behind the front. Scattered areas of freezing rain were reported across Michigan this morning, but most of this precipitation has since moved into southern Ontario. Scattered thunderstorms are also found along and ahead of this front from Kentucky to eastern Texas. There have been no reports of severe weather yet today, but a few storms may become marginally severe across the Deep South later this afternoon.

A low pressure system is located across Arizona and is producing rain across the southern half of the state with light snow falling across the mountains of northern Arizona. Heavier snow is forecast across northern New Mexico tonight where a winter storm warning has been issued.

The Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies have been hit with several strong storms over the past week, but are getting a break from the precipitation today. This break will be short lived though as another strong Pacific storm system is forecast to slam the region tonight and Monday with heavy rain along the coast and significant snow further inland and across the mountains.

WEATHER EXTREMES SO FAR TODAY:

HIGHEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F).............84 Edinburg, TX

HIGHEST HEAT INDEX (DEGREES F)..............87 Edinburg, TX

LOWEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F).............-29 Hallock, MN and Stanley, ID

LOWEST WIND CHILL (DEGREES F)..............-47 Devils Lake, ND

HIGHEST WIND GUST (MPH).....................45 Hancock, MI

HIGHEST PRECIPITATION (INCHES)............0.55 Orangeburg, SC

ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY:

In 1971, a deadly blizzard dropped 20 inches of snow from Kansas to Wisconsin. Winds reached to 50 mph with this storm that claimed 27 lives in Iowa.

In 1982, a winter storm crippled Milwaukee, WI under 16 inches of snow in less than 24 hours.

In 1994, the northeastern U.S. was hit with a major winter storm producing more than two feet of snow across northwestern PA. Strong winds up to 75 mph produced whiteout conditions across the Adirondacks of eastern New York State.

DTN-Meteorlogix

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