Nat'l Weather (730pm) October 23 2004

[Jeb]

A Sunday break

7:36 p.m. ET ET 10/23/2004

 

M. Ressler and R. Hulecki, Meteorologists, The Weather Channel

 

 

West

As the cold front sags southward through Nevada, Utah and Colorado on Sunday, scattered showers and some mountain snow will linger from the northern Rockies to just north of Death Valley, the Grand Canyon and the San Juan Mountains. Snow levels will range from 3500 feet north to near 6000 feet in northwest Colorado. On Monday, showers and thunderstorms could be on the increase over the Four Corners' states (Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah) as moisture moves northward out of Mexico. Meanwhile, the next potent upper-level storm and cold front will enter the Pacific Northwest with locally heavy rains for the western portions of Washington and Oregon and heavy snow in the Cascades. Snow levels will rise ahead of the front, ranging from 4500 feet in the Washington Cascades to 6000 feet in the California Siskiyous. On Tuesday, as the front moves into the interior Northwest and slides southward through California, the heavy rains will shift down the coast and into the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys while snow levels rapidly lower and the heavy snow plasters the Sierra, adding to the several feet already on the ground. The West will be very cool and unsettled into late week.

 

Midwest

A rapidly weakening cold front will gradually exit Michigan and the eastern Ohio Valley Sunday with lingering showers. A second front will sweep eastward across the Plains and Midwest Sunday and Monday will little fanfare except for showers along the northern tier. On Tuesday as high pressure takes control of the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, moisture will surge northward on increasing southerly winds around the western side of the high. Rain and some thunderstorms will rapidly develop in the eastern Missouri and western Mississippi Valleys. The region will remain unsettled through the end of the week as the next big western storm takes its time heading eastward. Temperatures will tend toward average or above average right through Friday.

 

South

The cold front will rapidly weaken on Sunday as it continues to move deeper into the South. Residual showers will shift from the southern Appalachians into the Carolinas and southern Georgia. A few thunderstorms will dot the Deep South Sunday as the front stalls from the central Georgia to eastern Texas. Above average temperatures will linger over eastern Texas and the lower Mississippi Valley through most of the coming week and more daily record high temperatures could be set or tied. Showers and thunderstorms will mainly develop from the lower Mississippi Valley westward Monday through Friday as a new storm takes shape over the West but takes its time heading eastward.

 

Northeast

A potent storm continues to intensify off the East Coast north of Bermuda while high pressure remains locked over eastern Canada. This blocking weather pattern is leaving much of New England with more clouds, cool temperatures and blustery winds. It should be cloudy, breezy and cool with maybe some sprinkles for the second game of the World Series in Boston at Fenway Park Sunday evening. A weakening cold front will die out over New York State and the Mid-Atlantic later Sunday into Monday, spreading some showers into the region. Temperatures will remain somewhat below average into Monday. Aside from a few showers over eastern New England on Tuesday, rainfall should be minimal across the region right through Friday.