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[July 30, 2009]  (AP)  Severe weather was expected to persist across the East Coast and the central U.S. on Thursday.

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A low pressure system in Canada was expected to continue to slowly move eastward, producing a stationary front that would sit over the Northeast and New England. Meanwhile, another low pressure system moving across the Plains was forecast to combine with the front and create a strong cold front that would sweep through the southern Plains and reach the mid- and lower Mississippi River valleys by evening.

Forecasters expected this complex weather pattern to bring multiple areas of thunderstorm development, with severe storms anticipated in the South, due to ample moisture available from the Gulf of Mexico. One to 2 inches of rain was forecast across the South, in areas under severe thunderstorm development. The Northeast was expected to see lighter rainfall, with totals less than a half of an inch. The central and southern Rockies were also expected to see scattered showers and thunderstorms as the tail end of this front extends into the region.

Behind this system in the northern Plains and northern Rockies, high pressure was expected to build in and allow for mostly sunny skies and quiet weather. Forecasters called for seasonably cool conditions to persist, with highs in the 60s and 70s.

In the West, a ridge of high pressure was expected to continue bringing hot conditions to the Pacific Northwest. Heat advisories are to remain in effect as temperatures will reach near 100 again on Friday. Meanwhile, the rest of the West Coast was forecast to see seasonable conditions with warm and dry weather.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Wednesday ranged from a low of 35 degrees at Berthoud Pass, Colo., to a high of 108 degrees at Needles, Calif.

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http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/

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http://www.intellicast.com/

[Associated Press article from Weather Underground]

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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