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[September 09, 2011] (AP) Heavy rains from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee will diminish on Friday as the system loses strength over the Ohio River Valley.

Expect a few scattered showers to linger over the Midwest, but significant rainfall is not anticipated. Flooding, however, will remain of concern due to the past two days of heavy rainfall. Evacuations will remain in effect for many areas of Pennsylvania and New York.

To the south, Tropical Storm Nate will continue spinning in the southern Gulf of Mexico on Friday. The system will make a northwestward turn and is expected to slowly move toward the Texas and Mexico border. On Friday, the system may intensify into a hurricane at Category 1 strength, with winds between 74 and 95 mph (64 and 82 knots). Tropical storm-force winds will extend outward up to 140 miles from the center. Expect total rainfall accumulations of 2 to 4 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 8 inches over the Mexican states of Campeche, Tabasco and southern Veracruz. However, landfall is not anticipated for a few days as this is an extremely slow-moving system. Dangerous surf and storm surge is expected for the southern Gulf of Mexico. Expect storm surge to raise water levels by 1 to 3 feet above normal tide levels.

Also in the South, fires will remain a threat from eastern Texas to the lower Mississippi River Valley. Low relative humidity will prevail, allowing for dry soils and more efficient fire spread. Thus, the fires will remain difficult to contain and evacuations will remain in effect.

Meanwhile, out West, a trough of low pressure over the Southwest interacts with some monsoon moisture, kicking up more scattered thunderstorms across the Four Corners.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Thursday have ranged from a morning low of 26 degrees at West Yellowstone, Mont., to a high of 109 degrees at Palm Springs, Calif.

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Online:

Weather Underground: http://www.wunderground.com/

National Weather Service:
http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/

Intellicast:
http://www.intellicast.com/

[Associated Press article from Weather Underground]