Nat'l Weather (2pm) October 31 2004

[Jeb]

Heavy rain, severe storms loom for portions of South tomorrow

1:56 P.M. ET 10/31/2004

 

Sr. Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

 

 

 

South

Except for an isolated shower here and there on the Florida Peninsula tomorrow, the Southeast will remain dry. Entirely different weather will prevail farther west: rain and lots of it. Excessive rain and possible flooding seem a good bet in eastern Texas and Arkansas (and maybe extreme eastern Oklahoma) as heavy rain from the overnight hours (see Storm Watch) marches eastward in tandem with a slow-moving cold front. Severe storms may erupt along the front, too, from eastern Texas into the lower Mississippi Valley. Behind the front, chilly but lighter rain--and gusty winds--will push into the Texas Panhandle and Oklahoma. Temperatures across the South are forecast to range from the unseasonably cool 40s in the Panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma to the unseasonably warm 80s in the Southeast

 

West

Two weather systems will affect the West tomorrow. A developing storm over the south-central U. S. will deposit wind-driven snow along the east slopes of the central and southern Rockies, and also over the adjacent high plains as far south as northeast New Mexico. Some of the higher elevations of southeast Colorado and northeast New Mexico could see as much as 6 to 8 inches. Denver, Colo., is expecting 3 to 6 inches tonight and early tomorrow. Meanwhile, a Pacific storm system will hurl rain into western Washington and northwest and west-central Oregon. In Washington, the rain could be heavy. Snow will develop over the Cascades and Olympics, but snow levels will be lifting, reaching the 3500- to 6500-foot range, north to south, by late in the day. Temperatures will continue to run well below seasonal means, except along the California coast where offshore winds will push highs into the 70s. A high wind watch is posted for portions of Southern California, mainly mountain locations.

 

Midwest

A slow-moving front stretched out from southern Missouri to the Ohio Valley tomorrow will help spread rain over much of the Midwest with the dampness reaching as far north as central Wisconsin and central Michigan. Locally heavy rain is expected to splash down on parts of Missouri and Illinois. Chilly wind-driven rain will sweep the central Plains. Farther north, a few showers may dampen the eastern Dakotas and western Minnesota ahead of an upper-air trough of low pressure. High temperatures are forecast to range from near-average over most of the Midwest to somewhat below on the Plains. Generally speaking, readings in the 40s will dominate the Upper Midwest and Plains; maxima in the 60s will blanket the Ohio Valley and southern Missouri.

 

Northeast

A few sprinkles may dampen parts of Upstate New York and northern New England tomorrow, but most of the Northeast should remain dry if not sunny. Light rain may attempt to push into western Pennsylvania during the evening. High temperatures will be somewhat lower than today's, but still close to or slightly above seasonal averages. Maxima are forecast to range from the 40s in Upstate New York and far northern New England to the 70s across southern Virginia.