National Weather at 130pm December 28 2004

[Jeb]

Widespread unsettled weather in West tomorrow

1:30 P.M. ET 12/28/2004

 

Senior Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

 

 

West

Widespread unsettled weather--rain, mountain snow and gusty winds--will dominate the West tomorrow, although the threat of excessive rains, such as has occurred the past two days in California, should be absent. The threat of locally heavy showers, however, may linger in Southern California and southern Arizona. In the higher elevations of the West, heavy snow will be the prime threat, especially in the Sierra Nevada tomorrow afternoon and tomorrow night. Heavy snow also looms for the mountains of Utah, the San Juans of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico, Arizona's Mogollon Rim and maybe Wyoming's Tetons. All in all, a bonanza for ski areas. High temperatures in the 30s and 40s will be widespread, although the 50s--along with few 60s here and there--will be common in the lower elevations of California, Arizona and New Mexico, as well as eastern Colorado.

 

Midwest

Most of the Midwest and Plains will be dry again tomorrow with a couple of exceptions. Isolated snow flurries may scurry over the upper Great Lakes, and areas of drizzle (maybe patchy freezing drizzle in the morning), low clouds and fog (especially in snow-covered regions) will populate locations from southern Missouri into Ohio and Kentucky. Temperatures will be well above late December means with highs ranging from the 20s in northeast North Dakota and northern Minnesota to the 60s in much of Kansas and southwest Missouri.

 

Northeast

A weak cold front pushing into northern New England and Upstate New York from the northwest tomorrow will trigger scattered snow showers and flurries there, but nothing heavy. Farther south--through the remainder of New York state, western and northern Pennsylvania, and West Virginia--isolated snow or rain showers will be possible. Despite the presence of the front, high temperatures across the Northeast are expected to be slightly above average, ranging from the 20s in northern Maine to the 50s south of Philadelphia.

 

South

Once again tomorrow the South will remain largely dry. Only isolated showers seem possible here and there over eastern Texas, Arkansas and Tennessee. Meanwhile, high temperatures are predicted to be above late December norms almost everywhere except on the Florida Peninsula where readings should be closer to seasonal averages. Overall, highs will range from the 50s to the 70s, north to south.