Africa

Weather Underground midday recap for Monday, November 09, 2009.

Tropical Storm Ida has not yet made landfall over the Southeastern states and was located 115 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River on Monday. Ida has decreased to tropical storm strength as it moved over the cooler waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Counter-clockwise flow around this system pushed abundant moisture over the Gulf states, and initiated scattered showers accompanied by strong winds on Monday morning. The region has seen light rain thus far with 0.09 inches reported in Crestview, Florida and 22 mph winds with gusts up to 29 mph in Mobile, Alabama. Cloudy skies and strong winds allowed for cool conditions along the Gulf with highs only reaching into the upper 60s. The Mid-Atlantic states and up the East Coast saw clouds move in from the south, but rainfall has not yet been reported.

To the north high pressure continued to build over the Plains and East Coast on Monday. This allowed for mild weather with dry conditions aloft. The system created a weak cold front that extended from the Great Lakes and into the Central Plains. Only a few clouds popped up along this frontal boundary and rain has not yet been reported. Sunny skies allowed for the Northern Plains and upper Midwest to reach into the upper 50s, while south of this front remained in the 70s in the Southern Plains.

Out West, another trough of low pressure off the coast of the Pacific Northwest pushed a cold front over the region. The system had sufficient moisture to trigger wet weather with 0.52 inches of rain already reported over Auro, Oregon. Strong winds were also associated with this system with gusts up to 36 mph in Kelso, Washington. Most of the West Coast saw cool temperatures with highs in the Northwest remaining in the lower 50s, while California saw highs in the 50s and 60s.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Monday have ranged from a morning low of 7 degrees at Big Piney, Wyo. to a midday high of 87 degrees at Parkersburg, W.Va.