Nat'l Weather (240pm) October 17 2004

[Jeb]

Wet weather for the Midwest/West

2:41 P.M. ET 10/17/2004

 

John Desjardins, Senior Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

 

 

 

Midwest

The same disturbance that brought rain to Southern California on Sunday will invigorate a developing storm system across the Plains. As this storm drifts eastward, it will encounter deep Gulf moisture across the Mississippi Valley. The result will be showers and thunderstorms across the Midwest Monday afternoon. Some of the storms will likely be severe, with large hail, damaging winds, and isolated tornadoes possible from northern Arkansas and western Tennessee into central Illinois. The remainder of the Ohio Valley will also see scattered showers and thunderstorms overspreading the region on Monday. Farther west, an upper-level disturbance will move across the northern Plains, delivering rain showers to that area. Chilly temperatures will linger across the northern tier, with Monday’s highs only in the 30s and 40s from the northern High Plains into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Temperatures will moderate heading south, with 70-degree readings expected from Kansas, through Missouri, and into western Kentucky.

 

West

Sunday was a wet day across much of the West and a more potent storm system will begin moving inland on Monday. Scattered showers will be widespread from the Great Basin into the Rockies, with heavier rain being seen later in the day along the Washington and Oregon coasts. The higher terrain of the Bitterroots and Tetons will see snow, and several inches may accumulate. Light rain showers may extend all the way into Southern California, with the driest conditions in the region being in Arizona and New Mexico. Temperatures across the region will be cool, generally five to ten degrees below average. Expect widespread readings in the 40s and 50s across northern portions, with 60s in the central California valleys, and 70s in the Desert Southwest. A deep trough setting up over the West will keep the area cool and unsettled through midweek.

 

South

The beginning of the work week will be quite pleasant, at least in terms of temperatures, across much of the South. With high pressure moving off the Southeast coast, a mild southerly wind will overtake the area. As a result, temperatures will be quite mild for this time of year. On Monday, look for 70s across much of the Carolinas, with 80s southward into Florida and the eastern Gulf Coast. Expect highs in the 80s and even 90s across the southern Plains. While Florida should see a good bit of sunshine, look for mid- and high-level cloudiness to muddle an otherwise pleasant sunny day. Scattered showers and a few thunderstorms are possible across the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys Monday afternoon.

 

Northeast

The system that has been plaguing the Northeast with rain and wind for the past couple of days will exit the region for Monday. Sunny skies are expected from New England into the Delmarva Peninsula. It will remain on the cool side, though, with highs in the 50s and 40s across the mountainous regions. Clouds will be on the increase throughout the day across the Mid-Atlantic. Showers are possible by later in the day from western New York southward through the Virginias. The clouds and showers will hold temperatures in the 50s and 60s.