U.S. Weather: Storms To Hit Much Of Country
-- Weather Underground Forecast for Friday, February 24, 2012.
A storm system in the Midwest and its associated cold front will tap into gulf moisture as the system lifts toward the Northeast and the front pushes toward the East Coast. This setup will allow for plenty of rain and thunderstorms to develop from parts of the Gulf Coast to southern New England. Storms may turn severe in areas from the eastern gulf states through much of the southern and mid-Atlantic coast region. While damaging wind gusts are the main concerns with severe weather activity in these regions, a few tornadoes may also form within these storms. Meanwhile, on the northern side of this system, expect snow showers and periods of heavy, wet snow to blanket parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast. Snow accumulations are expected to reach up to 6 to 8 inches as this system passes.
Out West, a sharp cold front will sweep across Pacific Northwest late Friday into Saturday with a colder airmass and gusty winds. This type of late winter storm has the potential to bring heavy wet snowfall and variable snow accumulations to the Cascade mountains, and a mix of rain and snow to the coastal ranges. Expect snow accumulations of 1 to 5 inches in lower passes near snow level with localized snow accumulations exceeding 6 inches at higher elevations. Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Thursday have ranged from a morning low of 1 degrees at West Yellowstone, Mont. to a high of 89 degrees at Austin, Texas
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By WEATHER UNDERGROUND 02/24/12 04:42 AM ET Associated Press