The Nation's Weather 10.13.09

By WEATHER UNDERGROUND (AP)

Major rain and wind was forecast to take hold of the western coastal states as a strong Pacific storm moved into northern and central California on Tuesday.

The system would carry considerable amounts of moisture as it slammed across the coast, producing numerous showers, locally heavy rainfall, and high elevation snowfall throughout the region. Forecasters said heavy rainfall may create mud and debris flows across recent burn areas and would most likely lead to areas of flash flooding. Meanwhile, lighter and more scattered precipitation was also expected across the Pacific Northwest. Rainfall throughout these regions was expected to begin tapering off during the evening hours.

In the East, moist flow across the Southern Plains would spark another round of moderate to locally heavy showers and thunderstorms from eastern Texas through the Southeast to the southern Mid-Atlantic Coast. Moisture would also reach into the Mid-Mississippi Valley and the Central Plains during the latter half of the day, producing scattered evening showers.

To the north, low pressure in the Northeast would produce areas of light to moderate rain and snow from the Upper Great Lakes through northern New England.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Monday ranged from a low of -13 degrees at Polebridge, Mont., to a high of 94 degrees at Live Oak, Fla.