National Weather at 255pm February 3 2005

[Jeb]

A quiet end to the workweek

2:55 P.M. ET 2/3/2005

 

M. Ressler, Sr. Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

 

 

South

The rain will exit even the Outer Banks of North Carolina by early Friday as the low-pressure area departs into the Atlantic and high pressure takes control of the Southeast. Daytime temperatures will be heading back toward average or even above average levels Friday through the weekend across the South. Meanwhile, the upper-level low over Baja will be on the move, bringing showers to southwest Texas Friday, rain to much of Texas Saturday and then rain and thunderstorms across the eastern parts of Oklahoma and Texas and the lower Mississippi Valley on Sunday.

 

Midwest

Quite mild is the weather word Friday and Saturday as the Midwest enjoys above average temperatures from Michigan and the Ohio Valley to the Plains. Temperatures will be as much as 10 to 25 degrees above average in the north-central states with 50s and 60s in South Dakota and Nebraska. A front will lamely sag south into North Dakota and northern Minnesota keeping temperatures in the still-well-above-average 30s. The Midwest region will be virtually precipitation-free Friday and Saturday. Colder air will increasingly move into the Plains and Upper Midwest Sunday through Tuesday while the central Mississippi Valley and Ohio Valley remain mild. As the colder air jockeys for position, a storm could take shape possibly bringing significant snow from parts of the Dakotas and Nebraska to northern Michigan and bouts of rain to the mid-Mississippi Valley, Lower Michigan and the Ohio Valley.

 

Northeast

Once the last of the flurries and sprinkles exit the coastal Northeast and Mid-Atlantic early Friday, the region will enjoy dry weather right through Monday as high pressure dominates. Showers could encroach on areas west of the Appalachians on Tuesday and turn the entire region wet by midweek. Temperatures will tend toward above average from Friday on into the upcoming week, meaning upper 20s and 30s north to the 40s and 50s in Virginia.

 

West

Changes are on the way for the West. The upper-level high over the Pacific Northwest will break down allowing stronger and stronger upper-level disturbances to move into the Northwest. After a mild Friday, temperatures will take a downward turn. Temperatures near 20 degrees above average on Friday in Montana for example will be 5 to 10 degrees below average by Sunday which means 40s and 50s will be replaced by teens, 20s and low 30s. Showers confined to western Washington and northwest Oregon Friday will expand into a broad area of snow showers over the Great Basin, northern and central Rockies and the northern High Plains by Sunday. Meanwhile, the Baja upper-level low will be forced eastward and then northeastward reaching the mid-Mississippi Valley by Sunday. This will end the gusty winds in the Southwest while bringing showers and mountain snow to parts of Arizona and New Mexico Friday and Saturday.