Southcentral

Weather Underground Forecast for Wednesday, January 07, 2009.

A series of low pressure systems will bring wet weather to the East Coast on Wednesday. These systems will combine to create a cold front that will extend down the entire coast. Moisture will pour into the Southeast from the Gulf of Mexico, which will allow for moderate to heavy showers and thunderstorms to develop. These storms have a history of producing strong winds and lightning, so are capable of turning severe. Flood warnings have been issued as 2 to 4 inches of rain are expected over Florida and Georgia, while 1 to 2 inches are will fall over the Mid-Atlantic states.

To the north, New England will see mixed precipitation as this front moves through on Wednesday. Expect significant icing of near 1 inch accumulation on the roads with additional 2 to 4 inches of snow and sleet. Dangerous road conditions will extend from New England to the Ohio River Valley.

Meanwhile, in the Upper Midwest, another trough of low pressure will move over the region and bring extremely cold weather with highs in the teens. The system will also trigger widespread scattered snow showers with no significant accumulation.

The Plains will see a break in wet weather as a small ridge of high pressure builds in before another low pressure system approaches from the west. Expect cool and dry conditions to extend from the Northern Plains to the Southern Plains.

In the West, a low pressure system will hover over British Columbia and push abundant moisture into the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday. A cold front moving through will trigger 2 to 4 inches of rain in most areas, with snow expected at higher elevations. In the Northern Rockies, this system will kick up 4 to 8 inches of snow in most areas. Strong winds are also anticipated over the Northwest, with gusts up to 60 mph. To the south, high pressure over California will allow for warmer and dryer conditions on Wednesday.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Tuesday ranged from a low of -23 degrees at Ely, Minn to a high of 105 degrees at High Island, La.