The Nation's Weather

NATIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY: Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Across the eastern two-thirds of the Nation, the main weather maker was a cold front, which pushed across the Great Lakes and northern Ohio Valley during the afternoon and evening. This brought scattered rain showers to the region. This activity was generally on the move, so rainfall totals did not get out of hand. To the west, scattered light rain showers occurred across portions of the central Plains. No significant rainfall totals were observed. Elsewhere, high pressure was dominant across the Northeast, the Upper Midwest, the northern Plains, the southern Plains, the Lower Mississippi Valley, the Gulf Coast, the Southeast, and the Mid-Atlantic.

Most of yesterdays significant weather occurred in the West. Scattered showers and a few thunderstorms occurred across the central and southern Rockies, along with eastern sections of the Great Basin. Most of these storms did not become strong, but one storm managed to produce quarter sized hail near Estancia, New Mexico during the afternoon. More steady rainfall developed across eastern New Mexico during the evening and into the overnight period. Meanwhile, scattered rain showers and high elevation snow showers occurred across portions of the Pacific Northwest and into the northern Rockies. Snow levels were around 3500-4000 feet in the Washington Cascades and accumulations were generally light, with most totals less than three inches. Rain totals in the lower elevations were generally a half inch or less. However, Quillayute, Washington received 0.79 inches of rain. Elsewhere, dry and quiet weather occurred across the western Great Basin, the Desert Southwest, and California.

WEATHER EXTREMES FOR YESTERDAY:

HIGHEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F).............99 Casa Grande, AZ

.............................................. Gila Bend, AZ

HIGHEST HEAT INDEX (DEGREES F)..............99 Casa Grande, AZ

.............................................. Gila Bend, AZ

LOWEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)..............15 Berlin, NH

LOWEST WIND CHILL (DEGREES F)...............12 Baker, MT

HIGHEST WIND GUST (MPH).....................52 Alamosa, CO

HIGHEST PRECIPITATION (INCHES)............0.79 Quillayute, WA

ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY:

In 1934, a big storm in the Pacific Northwest caused $1.7 million in damage and killed 22 people. Winds of 87 mph were measured and waves reached 20 feet on inland waters.

In 1957, southern California is struck by the second in a series of October storms. East Los Angeles, California had hail drifting up to 18 inches high. Heavy rains accompanied the system. Waterspouts were sighted off the coast near Oceanside, California.

In 1989, Marquette, Michigan set its 24 hour snowfall record for October as 12.7 inches fell from lake effect snow squalls.

DTN-Meteorlogix/N Hamblin

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.