South, Northwest face storms

Friday, January 15, 2010

Storm clouds were expected to gather in the northern Gulf of Mexico today as low pressure began to develop off the coast of Texas.Low pressue was forecast to strengthen throughout the day, producing rain along the coast from Texas to the Florida Panhandle. Gusty winds could develop in the same region. The storm was forecast to move eastward overnight and begin a trek up the East Coast. It was expected to move into the ocean over the weekend.

A second storm was forecast today in the Northwest. A Pacific low pressue system was expected to move into the region near the Olympic Peninsula and bring heavy rain as it moved inland. The storm is anticipated to affect coastal Washington and bring heavy snowfall to the coastal mountain ranges. Rain was expected to spread into Oregon by midday.

Elsewhere, precipitation chances were relatively small. High pressure centered over the Great Basin was forecast to keep skies generally clear through the Rockies. While the western High Plains were expected to see partially overcast skies, no rain or snow was expected.Some cloud cover was expected in the Northeast, especially near the Great Lakes. With the exception of a few mountain snow flurries in New England, precipitation wasn't expected.

On Thursday, temperatures in the Lower 48 states ranged from a low of negative 13 degrees at Berlin, N.H., to a high of 78 degrees at Lake Forest, Calif.

VERY COLD WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THIS WEEK OVER THE PACIFIC

A MODIFIED ARCTIC AIR MASS OVER SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST
OREGON WILL CONTINUE THIS WEEK. DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE NOT
EXPECTED TO RISE ABOVE FREEZING TODAY AND WEDNESDAY IN THE INLAND
VALLEYS...WHILE NIGHTTIME LOWS WILL BE AROUND 10 TO 15 DEGREES
TONIGHT. COASTAL AREAS WILL ALSO BE VERY COLD TONIGHT WITH LOW
TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S...WHILE DAYTIME HIGHS
ARE LIKELY TO REMAIN IN THE 30S THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

A SLOW WARMING TREND IS EXPECTED THURSDAY AND FRIDAY BUT CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN
COLDER THAN NORMAL.

RESIDUAL NORTHEAST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO DECREASE IN MOST AREAS TODAY. HOWEVER...SOME EAST WINDS ARE LIKELY AT TIMES IN THE WESTERN COLUMBIA GORGE THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEK.

MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO INDICATE A TRANSITION OUT OF THE
ARCTIC AIR MASS THIS WEEKEND. THE INITIAL SYSTEM IS EXPECTED
AROUND FRIDAY NIGHT...WHICH MAY BRING SOME FREEZING RAIN TO THE
INTERIOR LOWLANDS FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING.