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[February 03, 2011] (AP) The winter storm that has pounded the Midwest and East Coast will quickly move offshore into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday.

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While most of the snow showers associated with this storm will diminish, the backside of the system will create strong flow from the northwest over the Great Lakes. This will allow for lake-effect snow showers to develop along the downwind shores of the Great Lakes. Lake-effect snow showers will dump 3 to 5 inches of heavy, wet snow across northern Ohio, northwestern Michigan and western New York state.

As this large winter storm passes, expect more bitterly cold air to pour into the central and eastern U.S. High pressure that has dominated the West Coast will push over the Rockies and into the Plains. Thus, cold Canadian air will extend well into the southern Plains and Southeast, creating record-breaking low temperatures. Expect lows to drop near or just slightly below zero across the southern Plains, with high temperatures ranging in the 20s and 30s, which is approximately 20 degrees below seasonal. The northern Plains and upper Midwest will start to warm slightly, reaching into the mid-20s.

In the Gulf of Mexico, a low pressure system develops along the western shores. This will trigger light and scattered precipitation, but as temperatures remain near freezing, a messy combination of sleet and frozen rain may develop. This storm will not yet fully develop; thus, significant precipitation is not anticipated.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Wednesday ranged from a morning low of minus 38 degrees at Laramie, Wyo., to a high of 84 degrees at Fort Myers, Fla.

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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]