The Nation's Weather 12.04.08

By WEATHER UNDERGROUND – 1 hour ago

A cold front packing showers stretched from New England to the Gulf of Mexico early Thursday, while the Rockies were snowy and much of the rest of the West woke to a clear day.

Cold air was pouring over the Great Lakes and interior Northeast, causing chilly rain and patchy snow. Lake-effect snow could strike the eastern edge of the eastern Great Lakes.

Northern New England temperatures were to reach seasonably warm temperatures, with highs in the upper-40s and windy conditions with gusts up to 35 mph.

To the west, the Plains and upper Midwest were forecast to enjoy dry conditions and clearing skies as high pressure builds, though light snow flurries were possible over the upper Midwest, possibly reaching into the central Plains.

High pressure was building over the West Coast and slightly warmer temperatures were forecast for the Pacific Northwest and northern California. The Rockies were to be cold and snowy.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states on Wednesday ranged from a low of 3 degrees at Grand Marais Airport, Minn., to a high of 87 degrees at Alice, Texas.