Funchal, Madeira Islands

Weather Underground midday recap for Tuesday, February 07, 2012.

Tuesday's weather pattern featured a frontal system from northern New England to the Southern Plains and a strong ridge of high pressure nosed southward across much of the Intermountain West and Central U.S. In addition, a Pacific storm system brought wet and cool weather to the West Coast.

The front extended from New England southwestward through the Ohio and Mississippi valleys and Southern Plains produced snow and rain along its path Tuesday. Widespread snow showers fell mostly north of the front, while rain and isolated thunderstorms developed south of the front. Parts of Kansas, Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle saw snowfall accumulations 2 to 3 inches with locally higher amounts.

Out West, a strong Pacific storm system approaches the coast Monday night and Tuesday, which brought widespread rain showers and mountain snow across the West Coast. Apart from the precipitation, this system produced strong winds 25 to 45 mph with gusts to 70 mph over the coastal regions Monday night and Tuesday morning. Farther inland, scattered snow showers fell over parts of the Rockies.

Elsewhere, scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms continued over the Florida Peninsula Tuesday. This was due to a broad area of low pressure from western Cuba northward into the Florida Straits.