Savusavu, Fiji

Weather Underground midday recap for Thursday, May 24, 2012.

Severe weather developed over the North Central US on Thursday, as a low pressure system moved over the Upper Midwest. This created a frontal boundary that stretched from the Great Lakes through the Central Plains and produced moderate to heavy showers and thunderstorms. These storms produced heavy rainfall and strong winds for Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Rainfall totals ranged around 2 inches across the region, with heaviest rainfall reported in Minneapolis, Minnesota with a mid-day total of 2.10 inches. Flood advisories have been issued across the Upper Midwest due to this low moving frontal boundary. Meanwhile, the back side of this system allowed for another front to linger over the Northern Rockies. This system stretched into the Pacific Northwest and produced scattered showers throughout the day. Cooler temperatures over Northern Rockies allowed for snow showers to develop at the highest elevations in western Montana and northwestern Wyoming.

South of this activity, winds increased over the Southwest as a trough of low pressure moved in from the west. This created another warm and dry day for Arizona, New Mexico, and the Great Basin, which kept fire danger high.

In the East, heavy rainfall and strong winds associated with thunderstorm activity continued over southern Florida and the Bahamas. To the north, however, lighter and more widespread showers persisted in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states as a frontal boundary stalled over the region.