Winter in the North, Summer in the South!

[Bennett D. Ebberly]

Winter or summer?

Tue., Nov. 4, 2003 9:50 A.M.

John Desjardins, Senior Meteorologist; The Weather Channel


Midwest

The Midwest is once again the transition zone where winter is being felt across the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest and mild conditions are making it feel more like September across the Ohio Valley. Snow will linger from the Dakotas to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan today. While the snowfall will generally be light, some places along the U.S.-Canadian border could pick up four or five inches. A stalled front will finally begin to push eastward late today, allowing this region to dry out. While the precipitation may move out, the cold temperatures will linger. Highs will remain 10 to 20 degrees below average from the Dakotas into northern Michigan through the week. More record-setting warmth is expected across the Ohio Valley today with highs once again in the 70s and 80s. This will be the last day of the summer-like conditions, as a cold front sweeping through the area will bring the region back to reality by Wednesday.


South

The heat will continue across the southern U.S. where widespread highs in the 70s and 80s will be the norm once again. Look for more record highs to be set across the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys. Gulf moisture will be on the increase across the Southeast throughout the day. The result will be more clouds extending from the Gulf Coast into the Carolinas by this afternoon. Scattered showers are possible this afternoon across Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and perhaps even the Carolinas. The region will squeeze out a few more mild days before a cold front returns temperatures to more seasonal levels by the end of the week.


West

Snow will continue to fall across the higher terrain in the central and northern Rockies at least into the afternoon. Up to an additional half a foot of snow is possible in the mountains of Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. As the large trough that has been affecting the West finally begins to move into the Plains, conditions will improve. Look for a gradual return to sunshine across the region for the middle of the week. Unfortunately, the cold temperatures will linger. Highs will continue to be below average across nearly the entire region through the end of the week. The exception will be across the Desert Southwest, which will experience a slight warm-up by Thursday. Don't get too used to the sun, however. The next storm system will move into the West Coast by the weekend.


Northeast

Another sunny and mild day is in store for the Mid-Atlantic states with record-setting highs in the 70s and 80s likely. North of a frontal boundary, cloudy and cooler conditions will prevail across New York and New England. Highs will only be in the 30s and 40s from the Adirondacks into Northern New England. A few showers are also possible across the Northeast by this afternoon. Colder weather will overtake the area over the next couple of days as a cold front pushes into the region. By Friday, the entire region will be back to more seasonal levels.