The Nation's Weather 09.01.08

By WEATHER UNDERGROUND

Hurricane Gustav was expected on Monday to make landfall on the Louisiana coast as a Category 3 hurricane. An extremely dangerous storm surge of 10 to 14 feet above normal tidal levels is expected for areas along the northern Gulf coast. Rainfall accumulations are expected to reach between 6 to 12 inches in parts of Louisiana, southern Mississippi and southern Arkansas.

Meanwhile, showers and thunderstorms were forecast for an area extending through the Northern Rockies and Central Great Basin and into the Southwest.

The Midwest and Northeast were expected to see fair and warm conditions. Clear skies also were forecast for the West Coast.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Sunday ranged from a low of 29 degrees at Meacham, Ore., to a high of 114 degrees at Death Valley, Calif.