The Nation's Weather 10.02.09

By WEATHER UNDERGROUND (AP)

Unsettlement was expected over most of the country Friday as two strong systems were forecast to continue kicking up wet weather.

In the East, a strong low pressure system was expected to sweep eastward from the Northern Plains and into the Great Lakes. Atmospheric conditions were favorable for development, and thus would produce much rain over the Great Lakes region. The system would pull a cold front with it, which would stretch from the Great Lakes, down the Mississippi River Valley and into the Southeast. The system was expected to kick up scattered showers in the North with rainfall totals between 1 to 2 inches, while warm and moist conditions in the South would allow for severe thunderstorm development. As the front passed and cool air poured in from the Canada, strong winds with gusts up to 35 mph were expected. Flooding would also continue to threaten the Mississippi River as this was a slow moving system with periods of heavy rainfall. The Northeast would see an extremely short break in wet weather as the system approached throughout the day.

Meanwhile in the West, high pressure built over the Rockies and replaced the low pressure system that brought the first snowfall of the season. This high pressure would allow for mostly sunny skies, as well as cooler conditions. Freeze warnings were to remain in effect over the Great Basin and Central Rockies as overnight lows were expected to drop to or below freezing. Farther west, the Pacific Northwest would see another day of cloudy skies and scattered showers as a low pressure system and associated cold front swept through the region. Rainfall amounts less than a half of an inch were expected.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Thursday ranged from a low of 14 degrees at Stanley, Idaho, to a high of 100 degrees at Dryden, Texas.