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[April 20, 2010] (AP) Scattered showers and thunderstorms were expected to develop across the Plains and upper Midwest on Tuesday due to a large low pressure system moving off the Rockies.

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T Insurance he system was forecast to create a combination of fronts that would kick up stormy weather. One front would rapidly sweep eastward over the central and northern Rockies, while the other would hover over the Northern Plains and stretch into the Great Lakes. The center of the low pressure system was expected to take a northerly track and move from the central Rockies and into northern Plains toward central Canada. Thus, scattered snowfall would develop over the Rockies throughout the day, with snowfall accumulation between 2-5 inches in Colorado and Utah. Nearly an inch of rain was expected in the Dakotas, with more likely in areas of thunderstorm development. Forecasters said winds might gust up to 44 mph in the vicinity of the front. Some of these storms might turn severe as this system has a history of producing strong winds and hail.

Behind this large low pressure system in the West, high pressure would start to build over the West Coast and allow for sunny and dry conditions to return. The Pacific Northwest would see a few lingering showers in the morning, while California would be sunny with highs reaching into the 60s and 70s.

In the South, another day of scattered showers and thunderstorms was expected as a trough of low pressure hovered over Texas. This would continue pulling moisture onshore from the Gulf of Mexico, which would kick up another round of thunderstorms. Forecasters said some of these storms may turn severe due to warm and humid conditions.

The East Coast would see increasingly cloudy skies as the warm front moved in from the Plains. Light rain was expected over New England, while the Northeast would remain under high pressure. Due to another clear night over the Northeast, the region would see another frost and freeze threat as temperatures dipped to near-freezing temperatures. The Mid-Atlantic and Gulf states would see another hot and dry day with highs near 80.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Monday ranged from a low of 15 degrees at Mount Washington, N.H., to a high of 84 degrees at Tampa, Fla.

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On the Net:

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]