The Nation's Weather 12.01.09

By WEATHER UNDERGROUND (AP)

Wet weather in the East was expected to diminish Tuesday as a cold front pushed off shore, while a strong low pressure system could bring snow to the Southern Rockies.

A low pressure system and associated cold front was forecast to push eastward and into the Atlantic Ocean as high pressure builds in from the Central U.S. The front could bring some residual morning showers to the coastal regions of the Mid-Atlantic and New England states.

But the front was expected to wrap back around to the west and linger over Florida, where it could trigger light rains with rainfall totals of less than a half of an inch. Afternoon thunderstorms may develop and produce up to an inch of rain in these areas. Breezy conditions were expected to persist over the region with wind gusts of up to 25 mph.

Highs in the upper 60s were forecast for the Southeast, while the North was expected to see highs in the 40s.

In the West, a small yet intense low pressure system was expected to move northeast from northern Mexico and into the Southern Rockies and Southern Plains. Flow around the system could pull moisture in from the Gulf of Mexico and allow for up to 2 inches of snowfall and as much as 5 inches at higher elevations.

The eastern edge of the system was expected to move over Texas and bring abundant moisture to the Texas coast. Periods of heavy rain and coastal flooding were expected in the region.

The system also was forecast to push cloudy skies that may trigger a few sprinkles over Alabama and Georgia by Tuesday afternoon.

To the North, a low pressure system was expected to dip into the U.S. from Canada. The system could pull warmer air in from the south and allow for another unseasonably warm day for the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains. Sunny skies with highs near 50 were expected over most of the Midwest, while areas along the border could see scattered precipitation.

On Monday, temperatures in the Lower 48 states ranged from a low of -7 degrees at West Yellowstone, Mont. to a high of 82 degrees at Boca Raton, Fla.