The Nation's Weather For Wednesday

WEATHER EXTREMES FOR WEDNESDAY: HIGHEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)...........117 Thermal, CA HIGHEST HEAT INDEX (DEGREES F)............117 Thermal, CA LOWEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES

Thursday, August 30th 2007, 5:26 am

By: News On 6

WEATHER EXTREMES FOR WEDNESDAY:

HIGHEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)...........117 Thermal, CA

HIGHEST HEAT INDEX (DEGREES F)............117 Thermal, CA

LOWEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F).............33 Meacham, OR

LOWEST WIND CHILL (DEGREES F)..............31 International Falls, MN

HIGHEST WIND GUST (MPH)....................70 Mount Morris, MI

HIGHEST PRECIPITATION (INCHES)...........2.67 El Dorado, AR

NATIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY:

Yesterday in the East, a cold front spawned strong to severe thunderstorms across central and southern Michigan in the afternoon. Wind gusts of 60 to 70 miles-per-hour occurred with several storms in the area. Meanwhile, daytime heating led to scattered shower and thunderstorm development over much of the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, southern Appalachians, and the Southeast. Isolated severe storms occurred in the Southeast yesterday afternoon, although there was no organized severe activity. Areas of fog blanketed portions of the Northeast and northern Appalachians yesterday morning, but fair skies prevailed in the afternoon under a ridge of high pressure. The high temperature at Naples, Florida reached 98 degrees yesterday. This broke the previous daily record high of 96 that was set in 1998.

In the Central United States, scattered thunderstorms developed over the Central and Southern Plains, as well as the Middle and Lower Mississippi Valley, in advance of a cold front yesterday. Isolated severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours. A severe thunderstorm with damaging wind gusts tore the roof off a business in Bridgeton, Missouri. Another severe storm in Plano, Texas downed numerous trees yesterday afternoon. Thunderstorms were widespread across southeastern Texas, where one to 2-point-5 inches of rain fell. Meanwhile, variably cloudy skies and dry conditions prevailed throughout the Northern Plains under a ridge of high pressure. The low temperature at International Falls, Minnesota fell to 35 degrees yesterday morning, which tied the previous daily record low; that record was originally set in 1976.

In the West yesterday, the trailing edge of a cold front generated clusters of thunderstorms in Colorado and New Mexico. A few of these storms became severe in the afternoon; penny-sized hail fell in Weld and Saguache Counties in Colorado. Scattered showers and storms also developed across Utah, Arizona, northern Nevada, and eastern California in association with monsoonal moisture. A high pressure ridge resulted in fair weather prevailing throughout the northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest. Mostly sunny skies and warm weather occurred across central and western California. The high temperature at San Gabriel, California reached 107 degrees yesterday. This broke the previous daily record low of 105 that was set in 1998.

ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY:

In 1839, a hurricane moving between Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and New England produced snow across the Catskill Mountains in New York.

In 1962, 22 inches of rain fell in Hackberry, Louisiana in a 24 hours, setting a rainfall record for the state.

In 1982, tornadoes and torrential rain struck southern Texas when a tropical depression moved inland. Eighteen inches of rain fell just to the southeast of Austin, Texas.

FRONTS ACROSS THE NATION

A cold front is moving through northern New York, far northwestern Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, southern Indiana, far southern Illinois, far southeastern Missouri, Arkansas, far southern Oklahoma, northern Texas and New Mexico.

NATIONAL WEATHER FORECAST

In the East, a low pressure system will bring the chance for showers and thunderstorms to western and northern portions of the Northeast. No severe weather is expected; however, rainfall amounts of up to a half of an inch will be possible. Further south, a second system will producing scattered showers and thunderstorms across the Tennessee Valley, much of the Mid-Atlantic region, the Southeast, and Florida. A few strong storms will be capable of producing frequent lightning, strong winds, sizable hail, and heavy downpours. Rainfall amounts of around an inch will be possible. Otherwise, high pressure will allow for fair skies and dry conditions through the Great Lakes region, the Ohio Valley, and locations along the Eastern Seaboard. High temperatures will reach into the 70s and 80s across the Great Lakes region, the Ohio Valley, and the Northeast; and into the mid 80s to the lower 90s through the Mid-Atlantic region, the Tennessee Valley, the Southeast, and Florida.

Across the central part of the country, an upper-level disturbance will produce partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered showers and thunderstorms across the southern Plains and the Lower Mississippi Valley. There will be a chance for some strong thunderstorms, along with periods of heavy rainfall. Rainfall amounts of around an inch will be possible. Otherwise, high pressure will allow for mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies and dry conditions throughout the northern and central Plains, and the Upper and Middle Mississippi Valley. High temperatures will reach into the upper 70s to the lower 90s.

In the West, partly cloudy skies with widely scattered showers and thunderstorms can be expected across the central and southern high Plains, the Rocky Mountains, the Desert Southwest, the Great Basin, eastern portions of California, and the eastern half of the Pacific Northwest. The main concern with this activity will be areas of flash flooding as rainfall amounts of up to a half of an inch will fall in a very short amount of time. Otherwise, partly cloudy skies and dry conditions will prevail. High temperatures will reach into the 60s and 70s along the coastal locations of both the Pacific Northwest and California; into the 80s and 90s through the high Plains, the Rocky Mountains, the Great Basin, and much of the Pacific Northwest; and into the upper 90s to near 115 through the Desert Southwest and interior California.

Prepared by WeatherBank, Inc.