The Nation's Weather 12.02.08

By WEATHER UNDERGROUND

Two winter storm systems packing snow and strong winds were colliding over the Rocky Mountains early Tuesday, while the South and West Coast were forecast to stay dry and calm.

The Rockies were to be hit with a one-two punch — a storm moving southeastward from the Pacific Northwest and another dropping in from the Canadian Rockies.

Together, they were predicted to create a cold front extending from the intermountain West into the northern Plains, triggering rain and snow showers with winds gusting up to 30 mph. Some areas of the central Rockies may see heavy snowfall, while most areas were to remain under 4 inches.

The Great Lakes were to continue seeing lake-effect snow showers, though they should diminish throughout the day. Northern Michigan, northern New York and Wisconsin face the most snow.

In the East, high pressure over the Southeast was expected to continue building northward, drying out the East Coast. A cold front was predicted to move through the region and may bring early-morning showers to parts of Florida.

Low temperatures in the Northeast were forecast to be in the teens, while the Southeast was to drop to near freezing and only reach highs in the 50s.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states on Monday ranged from a low of 3 degrees at Flag Island, Minn., to a high of 84 degrees at Newhall, Calif.