The Nation's Weather 09.09.08

By WEATHER UNDERGROUND – 2 hours ago

Showers, thunderstorms and possible tornadoes were expected to flare up in the Florida Keys on Tuesday as Hurricane Ike treks westward through Cuba.

Although Ike was not expected to directly hit Florida, the Keys and the Florida coast were to experience dangerous rip currents and violent waves. Ike was expected to move over western Cuba and emerge into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico by Tuesday evening.

To the north, rain and thunderstorms were expected from the lower Great Lakes to the Northeast. Increasingly humid air was a signal that storms were en route.

Stormy weather also was forecast for areas of the Southeast and southern Plains.

Meanwhile, the central and northern Plains were to be dry and fair.

In the Southwest, Arizona and New Mexico were to get scattered showers and thunderstorms.

The West Coast was to continue seeing dry and cool conditions. Onshore flow was to enhance fog along coast.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states on Monday ranged from a low of 21 degrees at Yellowstone, Wyo., to a high of 111 degrees at Imperial Beach, Calif.