The Nation's Weather 10.25.08

By WEATHER UNDERGROUND

Saturday's weather was to be characterized by a strong trough of low pressure in the East and a ridge of high pressure in the West.

The trough in the East was to create widespread precipitation from the Southeast Coast through the Great Lakes. Some of the precipitation was to be quite heavy in nature. Many regions were to welcome the rain, especially the Southeast, which has been gripped by drought conditions.

Aside from this precipitation, the rest of the country was to remain rather dry due to a dominant ridge of high pressure. This ridge was to push any storms well to the north and into Canada.

The high was to lead to unseasonably warm temperatures through much of the West. This was also to be a dangerous recipe for fire weather in Southern California as Santa Ana winds ramp up.

Temperatures were to rise into the 50s and 60s in the Northeast; 70s in the Southeast; 70s and 80s in the Plains; 80s and 90s in the Southwest; and 40s and 50s in the Intermountain West.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Friday ranged from a low of 10 degrees at Stanley, Idaho, to a high of 95 degrees at Newhall, Calif.