Helena Regional, MT

Weather Underground midday recap for Friday, February 10, 2012.

Snow showers moved through the Midwest, thunderstorms developed in the South, and cold air poured into the Plains on Friday. A trough of low pressure moved eastward from the Southern Plains and continued to push a cold front eastward, which extended from the Great Lakes into the Gulf states. The southern end of this system pulled moisture in from the Gulf of Mexico and triggered scattered showers and thunderstorms over the Lower Mississippi Valley. Severe storms have not been reported over the region, but rainfall totals reached over an inch in eastern Texas and southern Louisiana. Heaviest rainfall was reported at Angleton, Texas with a mid-day total of 1.12 inches of rain.

To the North, cool air over the Great Lakes and Midwest allowed for snow showers to develop along the northern side of this cold front. Snowfall accumulation ranged from 1 to 2 inches from southern Wisconsin and Michigan, through Ohio and the Central Appalachians. Some of these areas saw a messy combination of freezing rain and sleet.

Behind this system, a strong ridge of high pressure built into the Plains. This pushed in cool and dry air from central Canada and brought cold and breezy conditions to most of the Plains. The Northern Plains and Upper Midwest saw highs in the single digits, with overnight lows temperatures near 10 degrees below zero. Parts of the Southern Plains saw highs in the 40s, with overnight lows in the 20s.

Out West, a trough of low pressure pushed another cold front toward the Pacific Northwest. Moisture poured in ahead of this system, kicking up more rain showers over Oregon and Washington, with a few sprinkles in northern California. The Northern Rockies saw light and scattered snow showers as moisture reached over Idaho and Montana. Snowfall accumulations ranged from 2 to 4 inches in these areas.