Midwest

Weather Underground Forecast for Saturday, December 05, 2009.

Early season snow is expected across the Appalachians on Saturday as an intense low pressure system develops off the Eastern Seaboard. Fueled by warm Gulf Stream waters, the storm will rapidly intensify throughout the day helping to enhance snow amounts in the region. In addition to snow in the higher elevations, heavy rain and strong winds are anticipated at the coast. Exceptionally cold air will fill in behind the storm as it moves to the northeast throughout the day, and some of the rain in the coastal plain will switch over to snow as it tapers off. Overnight the cold air will deepen and low temperatures will drop to their lowest readings of the winter so far.

Temperatures in the Plains will also be on the cool side Saturday, but clear skies will bring a sunny and crisp day to the region with no precipitation anticipated until the late evening when some snow showers will slide out of the Northern Rockies

The snow showers in the Rockies will be triggered by a weak low pressure system sliding through southern Canada, precipitation will be most intense in the morning hours, tapering off as the system slides eastward.

The West Coast will see another clear cool day Saturday a high pressure remains in control of the weather pattern. In the Northwest temperatures will be cold while the rest of the region will see temperatures more aptly described as chilly. Highs along the California Coast will be in the 60s south of Point Conception, and in the 50s further north. In Washington and Oregon, many locations will see temperatures flirting with the freezing mark for much of the day.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Friday ranged from a low of -21 degrees at Island Park, Idaho to a high of 84 degrees at Kendall, Fla.