National Weather at 850pm March 2 2005

[Jeb]

Rain developing in the Gulf Coast states

 

8:54 P.M. ET 3/2/2005

 

Anthony Diaz, Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

 

 

South

The most active weather across the country can be found in the South where an area of low pressure will be moving across the northern Gulf of Mexico. This same system that brought violent thundershowers to the Texas coast will move eastward impacting Louisiana, southern portions of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia, before reaching Florida late Thursday night. Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Mobile, Pensacola, and Panama City are all in line for dousing of rain showers and the occasional thundershower that could carry with it short-lived gusty winds. By late Thursday, the bulk of the precipitation will reach the west Florida coast. Tampa, Fort Myers, and Orlando could get a good round of much needed precipitation. These areas are all running rainfall deficits for the year.

 

Northeast

West and northwest winds continue to blow off the lakes late into Wednesday enhancing snow totals on the eastern shores of Lakes Michigan, Erie, and Ontario. These areas, along with the Tug Hill Plateau in Upstate New York will see the highest totals of accumulating snow through Thursday. Across the board, wind speeds will range from 10 to 20 mph with higher gusts. Combine these winds with already below-average temperatures and winds chills will become a problem. From New England to the Ohio Valley wind chills will dip below freezing and in some areas below zero on Thursday. The big cities will be snow free Thursday.

 

Midwest

The area will be marked with a temperature contrast that ranges from 10 to 20 degrees above average for the Northern Rockies and High Plains to 10 to 20 degrees below average for the western Great Lakes. If you happen to be driving from Detroit to Rapid City on Thursday you will see your afternoon highs rise from near 30 to around 60. There will be some active weather of note to contend with. Throughout the day Thursday winds will begin to increase across the High Plains. Expect winds to blow from 10 to 20 mph with higher gusts.

 

West

Weak high pressure building back behind the trough in the Northeast will hold steady throughout the day Thursday. Temperatures in the Northern Rockies and even the Northwest will run above average. However, the next system poised to invade the West coast will reach the shore late Thursday. The possibility of a shower after dark exists for areas along the immediate coast (west of Interstate 5) from Puget Sound to the Bay Area. This system will press well inland on Friday with these crucial showers reaching interior parts of the Washington and Oregon, both areas which have seen little rainfall in recent months.