Midwest

Weather Underground midday recap for Sunday, December 06, 2009.

Gloomy, overcast skies covered much of the Central and Northern Plains today as the first of two winter weather systems reached the regions. Cold temperatures with steady bands of light to moderate snow developed across Nebraska and Kansas through the afternoon. Snow accumulations are expected to total about 3 to 5 inches. Meanwhile, cloudy skies and light spotty showers spread across eastern Texas as southerly flow supported strong warm air advection across region. Elsewhere, a few isolated snow showers developed in the Northeast, while calmer weather developed in the remainder of the East due to high pressure.

Out West, a cold trough of low pressure dropped southward through the Pacific Northwest, bringing cold Arctic air and gusty winds to the Northwest and northern California. Isolated to scattered snow showers fell across the higher elevations of these portions with no accumulations expected. Meanwhile, increasing onshore flow and a deepening moist layer produced increasing clouds near the southern California coast with colder temperatures. A few light showers are expected throughout the region today. Additional light to moderate snow fell across Colorado as a wave of low pressure reached across the state. In addition to the snow, northeast winds at 15 to 25 mph created reduced visibilities in blowing snow.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Sunday have ranged from a morning low of -18 degrees at Stanley, Idaho to a midday high of 79 degrees at Miami, Fla.