US

Weather Underground midday recap for Monday, February 08, 2010.

Snowy conditions spread over most of the Central US on Monday as a strong system moved through the region. A low developed over the Rockies and pulled ample moisture up from the Gulf of Mexico as it moved through the Plains. In addition to cool air over the Plains and Mississippi River Valley, the front associated with this system triggered periods of heavy snow. The front tracked through the Upper Midwest and into the Upper and Mid-Mississippi River Valley, and also wrapped into the Central and Southern Plains. This kicked up snowfall totals between 3-5 inches in the Upper Midwest, while northern Texas saw mainly 1-2 inches of snow thus far. Fritch, Texas reported 2 inches of new snow and Piedmont, Oklahoma saw up to 3 inches of a sloppy mixture of frozen rain and sleet.

Behind this system, high pressure system built over the Northern Rockies and Northern Plains. This allowed for cool Canadian air to pour into the Central US, thus, highs in the North remained near zero. However many areas saw strong winds and allowed for wind chills in the -20s. Dickinson, North Dakota saw wind gusts up to 23 mph and up to 30 mph in North Platte, Nebraska.

To the east, this system pushed overcast clouds over the Mississippi River and up the Ohio River Valley, but snow has not yet been triggered. Just to the south, a small ridge of high pressure lingered over the East Coast and allowed for sunny skies and highs in the 50s over the Southeastern states. The extreme Northeast saw a few light flurries again as a low pressure system in the Atlantic pushed some moisture onshore.

Meanwhile, the West Coast saw cloudy skies as a low pressure system hovered offshore and pushed a cold front closer to the region. Precipitation has not yet been reported over California or the Pacific Northwest.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Monday have ranged from a morning low of -23 degrees at Jordan, Mont. to a midday high of 78 degrees at Edinburg, Texas.