The Nation's Weather 12.30.08

By WEATHER UNDERGROUND

A storm system was kicking up snow and high winds in the Plains and Great Lakes early Tuesday as it moves east, while high pressure was to keep the Southeast unusually warm.

Several inches of snow was expected in the northern Plains and upper Midwest, and winds as strong as 30 mph will blow across the northern and central Plains, the upper Midwest, and the Great Lakes.

The southern and central Plains can expect mostly clear skies during the day, with high pressure providing warm temperatures for the southern Plains.

High pressure will move in behind the storm system, allowing skies to clear out across the northern Plains by the end of the day on Tuesday.

In the Northeast, New York and parts of New England will begin the day with high winds and a few inches of snow due to a storm system to the north of New York that will push off to the northeast by afternoon.

In the mid-Atlantic, Pennsylvania can expect areas of clouds, while most of the region will see mostly to partly clear skies.

The Northwest will see cloudy skies with some precipitation moving in during the second half of the day as a storm system begins to push its way through the region.

The Southwest and the Southeast can expect pleasant temperatures and mostly clear skies due to high pressure on Tuesday.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states on Monday ranged from a low of minus 11 degrees at Gunnison, Colo., to a high of 82 degrees at The Villages, Fla.