National Weather at 130pm January 17 2005

[Jeb]

Pineapple express streams into Washington state

1:34 P.M. ET 1/17/2005

 

Senior Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

 

 

 

West

The Pineapple Express will continue its on-time deliveries to the Pacific Northwest tomorrow, particularly western Washington, where copious amounts of rain are in store. Northwest Oregon will be quite wet, too, but the heaviest cloudbursts--the result of subtropical moisture slashing northeastward from just north of Hawaii--will drench the Olympic Mountains where as much as 10 inches of rain may fall by Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, snow levels will be very high, well above pass levels. The only heavy snow is likely to be in the highest reaches of the Bitterroots and mountains of central Idaho. Freezing rain, however, may ice some Bitterroot and western Montana valleys. Over and immediately east of the Montana Rockies, strong, gusty westerly winds will once again prevail. Far to the south, California and the Southwest will be mild and dry Tuesday with highs reaching the 70s in parts of Southern California and southwest Arizona.

 

Midwest

Warm air advection ahead of a reinforcing push of arctic air into the Lower 48 will spread snow through much of Minnesota and Wisconsin during the day tomorrow, Michigan late tomorrow or tomorrow evening. Amounts are expected to be generally light, maybe 2-4 inches, although isolated totals of around 6 inches are not out of the question. Gusty winds will give the snow a rather "blizzardy" look. High temperatures are predicted to range from the teens in much of Michigan to the 40s on the western High Plains.

 

Northeast

In the Northeast, lingering lake-effect snows will wind tomorrow morning, before a widespread light snow pushes into the region tomorrow night and Wednesday. In the meantime, a cold, arctic high will drift over the area tomorrow, keeping temperatures suppressed far below mid-January averages. Highs will range from a little below zero near the Canadian border to the 30s in much of Virginia.

 

South

Chilly air will cling to the South tomorrow with temperatures remaining well below seasonal norms. Highs are expected to range from the 30s to the 60s, north to south, with the 60s found only in far south Texas and southern Florida. Readings in the 40s will dominate the Deep South. Precipitation will be extremely limited: maybe some isolated showers along the east coast of Florida and in the southern tip of Texas.