Weather Extremes For Thursday

WEATHER EXTREMES FOR THURSDAY: HIGHEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)...........109 Gila Bend, AZ ............................................. Imperial, CA .............................................

Friday, August 24th 2007, 4:57 am

By: News On 6

WEATHER EXTREMES FOR THURSDAY:

HIGHEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)...........109 Gila Bend, AZ

............................................. Imperial, CA

............................................. Needles, CA

HIGHEST HEAT INDEX (DEGREES F)............116 Houston, TX

............................................. Olney, IL

LOWEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F).............31 Stanley, ID

LOWEST WIND CHILL (DEGREES F)..............31 Stanley, ID

HIGHEST WIND GUST (MPH)....................82 Stonington, CO

HIGHEST PRECIPITATION (INCHES)..............4.65 McCausland, IA

NATIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY

Across the East, a series of frontal boundaries sparked scattered showers and thunderstorms over the eastern Great Lakes and into the Northeast. Damaging wind gusts and hail were reported in western Pennsylvania and Michigan, and a tornado was confirmed near Vestaburg, Michigan. Heavy rainfall was also observed with the storms. Further to the south, isolated showers and thunderstorms formed over the Southeast and eastern Appalachians during the afternoon hours. Hail and wind damage was reported. Skies were mostly sunny and clear over the Ohio Valley and Deep South.

In the central region, showers and thunderstorms moved through the Midwest, central Plains, Upper Midwest. Severe thunderstorms brought damaging winds and a few tornadoes to eastern Iowa, northern Illinois, and northern Indiana. Numerous areas reported high winds.

Location Wind Speed (miles-per-hour)

Valparaiso, IN 80

Manhattan, IL 80

Elgin, IL 75

Galesburg, IL 74

Chicago, IL 74

Midlothian, IL 74

Ottawa, IL 70

Very heavy rainfall also occurred with these storms. Rainfall amounts over 4 inches fell during the afternoon in eastern Iowa, with higher amounts in northern Illinois. Skies were partly cloudy in the northern and southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley region.

Over the West, a stationary front brought showers and thunderstorms to the central Rockies and Great Basin. Strong to severe thunderstorms developed over eastern Colorado. Isolated showers and thunderstorms were reported over the northern and southern Rockies during the afternoon hours. Some small hail fell with these storms. Skies were mostly clear with dry conditions in the Pacific Northwest, California, and Desert Southwest.

ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY

In 1906, 9-point-25 inches of rain fell in 40 minutes in Guinea, Virginia.

In 1968, 2 people were killed when lightning struck the Crawford County Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania.

In 1991, large hail up to 6 inches in diameter fell in eastern North Dakota. 16,000 acres of crops were destroyed and cars and roof damage was extensive.

FRONTS ACROSS THE NATION

A stationary front is located across far east-central Georgia, northwestern South Carolina, western North Carolina, western Virginia, West Virginia and far western Pennsylvania.

A stationary front is located over northern Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, northern South Dakota and eastern Montana.

A cold front is draped across Iowa, northwestern Missouri, Kansas, the Oklahoma Panhandle, far northeastern New Mexico and southern Colorado.

A stationary front is located across central Colorado and central Utah.

NATIONAL WEATHER FORECAST

Tonight in the East, scattered showers and thunderstorms will occur from northern New England and upstate New York westward across the Great Lakes Region. Some severe storms, with hail up to one inch in diameter and wind gusts up to 60 miles-per-hour, will be possible over the Great Lakes Region. Elsewhere, a weak disturbance will bring isolated showers and thunderstorms to the Southeast. High humidity values and light winds will lead to areas of fog developing overnight along much of the East Coast. Lows will generally be in the 60's and 70's throughout the East.

In the Central United States, thunderstorms are likely tonight across Iowa, southern Wisconsin, Illinois, northern Missouri, eastern Nebraska, and Kansas due to a cold front and an upper-level disturbance. Severe storms with large hail and damaging wind gusts are possible across these areas. There will also be a threat for flash flooding, as several inches of rain may fall overnight. A weak disturbance will generate widely isolated showers and storms over south-central Texas. Variably cloudy skies will prevail over the Northern Plains under a ridge of high pressure. Lows will range from the mid 40's to near 60 across the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains. Over the Central Plains, Southern Plains, and Middle and Lower Mississippi Valley, lows will be in the 60's and 70's.

In the West tonight, a trough of low pressure will generate scattered showers and thunderstorms over the Rockies. A few severe storms with large hail and damaging wind gusts will be possible across eastern Colorado. A ridge of high pressure will produce fair weather over the remainder of the West tonight. Lows will be mainly in the 40's and 50's across the Pacific Northwest, Intermountain West, and northern Rockies; the central and southern Rockies can expect lows in the 50's and 60's. Across coastal California, lows will be mainly in the 50's and 60's. Interior California, as well as the Desert Southwest, will experience lows ranging from the 60's to the 80's.

Prepared by WeatherBank, Inc.