National Weather at 850am November 24 2004

[Jeb]

Weather woes hit eastern half of nation

8:53 A.M. ET 11/24/2004

 

Matthew Newman, Senior Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

 

 

South

A deepening storm system heading toward the Ohio Valley will continue to pound parts of the Southeast with severe weather today. The threat will shift north and east today across the Tennessee Valley and Georgia. Large hail, damaging winds, tornadoes and flooding rains will threaten holiday travel plans. The good news, if there is any, is that Texas will begin drying out in the wake of the storm. The Florida Peninsula will also escape today dry with generally sunny skies. High temperatures, meanwhile, are expected to range from the 40s in the Texas Panhandle and Oklahoma to the 80s on the Florida Peninsula.

 

Midwest

Parts of the Midwest will have snowy travel to contend with today as low pressure heads up the Ohio Valley. A band of moderate-to-heavy wet snow on the northwest periphery of the moisture shield will plague northern Missouri and north-central Illinois, then extend into northwest Indiana and southern Michigan. A swath of 3- to 6-inch amounts of a heavy and wet snow is possible. Many of these locations will begin as rain then transition to snow. Highs will range from the 20s in the northern reaches of North Dakota and Minnesota to the low 60s in the Ohio Valley.

 

Northeast

Rain will increase in intensity today across the Northeast as moisture from an approaching storm system moves in. The heaviest rain will likely target the I-95 corridor tonight into early on Thanksgiving Day. Winds will also be on the increase throughout the region. Interior parts of the region, such as the eastern Great Lakes and across the Appalachians can also expect a changeover on Thanksgiving Day to snow showers as colder air filters in behind the cold front.

 

West

An onshore flow in advance of an approaching Pacific cold front will deliver rain and mountain snow to Washington, northern Oregon, much of Idaho and the northern Rockies today. The heaviest rainfall is likely in northwest Washington, where flood watches have been posted. Meanwhile, snow levels in the Cascades are expected to be rather high, so holiday travel over the passes should not be a problem. Farther east, however, snow could slow your travels across some of the higher roads of the Bitterroots and ranges in western Montana. Elsewhere in the West, pleasant weather with temperatures near or slightly below seasonal averages is expected.