Santa Barbara, CA

Weather Underground midday recap for Thursday, February 09, 2012.

Areas of active weather developed over the West on Thursday, while Texas saw a mix of snow, freezing rain, and rain. A trough of low pressure moved off the Southern Rockies and into the Southern Plains. This allowed for snow showers to end over New Mexico and moved into northern Texas and Oklahoma. Snowfall accumulation in northern New Mexico ranged from 1 to 3 inches, while the panhandle of Texas saw an inch of snow and ice accumulation up to a tenth of an inch. Winter weather advisories have been issued for parts of the Southern Plains as this system created dangerous road and travel conditions. To the south, onshore flow from the Gulf of Mexico pushed moist air into eastern Texas. This kicked up scattered showers and thunderstorms from northeastern Mexico and through southeastern Texas. These storms have not yet turned severe.

In the West, a low pressure system in the Gulf of Alaska continued pushing a warm front into the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures increased as this system moved onshore, which increased snow levels across the Washington Cascades. Precipitation remained as rain showers in most areas. Rainfall totals ranged around 1 inch, with heaviest rainfall totals up to 1.12 inches in Chehalis, Washington.

Back East, a ridge of high pressure covered the Mississippi River Valley and Eastern US. This pushed cool and dry air in from Canada and created sunny skies with brisk conditions. High temperatures ranged in the 30s across the Great Lakes region, while the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states reached into the upper 40s.