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[April 19, 2011] (AP) Wet weather will persist across the central U.S. on Tuesday, as a low pressure system sweeps eastward through the region.

The system will start the day centered over the central Plains and move into the Midwest by the evening. Flow around this system will pull more warm and moist air northward from the Gulf of Mexico, which will create favorable conditions for thunderstorm activity. The northward flow of warm air will also produce a warm front that will extend up the Ohio River Valley and into New England. Periods of heavy showers and thunderstorms will develop along the warm front, while severe storms may pop up over the mid-Mississippi River Valley and move up the Ohio River Valley.

At the same time, flow around the back of this system will pull cool and dry air in from the North. This will push a cold front eastward through the Southeast, moving from eastern Texas and into the Gulf states. This will also bring strong winds to the southern U.S., with wind gusts up to 35 mph. The combination of dry air and strong winds will heighten fire threats over the southern Plains.

In the West, a break in wet weather is expected as well as warmer temperatures, as a mild ridge of high pressure builds behind an eastward moving trough of low pressure. A few patchy morning clouds are expected with spring temperatures returning to the Pacific Northwest and California.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Monday ranged from a morning low of 9 degrees at Land O' Lakes, Wis., to a high of 97 degrees at San Angelo, Texas.

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[Associated Press article from Weather Underground]