The Nation's Weather 07.24.09

By WEATHER UNDERGROUND (AP)

Low pressure was expected to dive into the Western Great Lakes on Friday and bring wet weather to the region as well as some much cooler temperatures. A cold front was forecast to descend across Wisconsin in the afternoon, and some of the wet weather was likely to worsen into strong to severe thunderstorms. Large hail and strong winds were possible throughout the evening hours.

In the Northeast, a storm much more typical of Fall was expected to continue to move up the coast into New England where it was forecast to bring gusty winds and heavy rain to the region. As the storm moves northward, portions of the Mid-Atlantic region were expectd to clear up as wind switch to a more westerly direction, ushering in drier air.

Away from the Great Lakes and East Coast, precipitation wasn't likely to be much of an issue on Friday, with much of the nation's midsection expecting mostly clear skies thanks to a large ridge of high pressure that continues to linger over the Rockies. Along with the clear skies, temperatures were likely to remain exceptionally hot across the Southwest. In Laredo, Texas, where the daytime high has reached at least 100 degrees for the last 44 days, the expected high temperature was to be 106 degrees.

In the West, temperatures away from the coast were likely to remain warm as well. Parts of California's Central Valley will reach into the triple digits. At the coast a different story will shape up though. Temperatures were expected to be significantly cooler due to low clouds and fog triggered by frigid ocean waters. As far inland as the fog penetrates inland, temperatures are expected to be in the 50s to low 60s.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Thursday ranged from a low of 37 degrees at Kremmling, Colo to a high of 109 degrees at China Lake, Calif.