NATIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY

FEBRUARY 2009

1st-7th…Today's main weather activity occurred across the Eastern US
as a strong cold front and warm front produced a mixture of showers
and thunderstorms across the Mid-Atlantic and the Southeast. A cold
front that extended from the Northeast through the Lower Mississippi
Valley produced light to moderate snow showers over the Ohio and
Tennessee Valleys and the Mid-Atlantic as it trekked toward the East
Coast today. Brief periods of heavy snowfall were also reported across
areas of Tennessee. The eastern regions of the Ohio and Tennessee
Valleys were placed under Winter Storm Warnings. To the south, a low
pressure system over the eastern Gulf of Mexico supported numerous
showers and thunderstorms as an associated warm front stretched across
central-southern Florida. Large areas of showers pushed northeastward
across the Florida Peninsula at about 30 mph. Locations along the
leading edge of the system received winds of up to 35 mph with periods
of heavy rainfall. Strong thunderstorm activity and brief heavy
downpours were detected over southwestern Florida and the Florida
Keys. A line of storms detected over the Gulf of Mexico created an
increased risk for additional torrential downpours and cloud to ground
lightning strikes across these areas. Meanwhile, the Western US
remained dry with fair weather activity as high pressure edged across
the West Coast.
Active weather remained in the West as California received some much-
needed snow in an already dry winter season. Considerable rain and
high elevation snow fell once again in the state. Winter Storm
Warnings were posted for parts of the Sierra Nevadas as several inches
of snow fell and snow levels dropped. Flood Watches were posted for
some mountainous areas of Southern California as the ground was
already saturated with previous rainfall. Farther to the north, more
rain and high elevation snow fell through the Northwest and the
Cascade Mountains. Aside from early morning snow showers that raced
through the Northeast, the rest of the country remained dry. A high
pressure system along the eastern seaboard brought dry and calm
conditions to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Strong winds were
reported from the Southern Plains through the Great Lakes as Wind
Advisories were noted from New Mexico through the Southern Plains. The
Northeast rose into the 10s, 20s, and 30s, while the Southeast saw
temperatures in the 50s and 60s. The Southern Plains rose into the 70s
and 80s, while the Northwest saw temperatures in the 40s.

8th-14th…Two storm systems have caused significant weather activity
across the Central and Western US today. A strong storm system over
the Central US caused significant amounts of mixed precipitation and
storm activity across the Plains this afternoon. The system began the
day deepening over eastern Colorado and then lifted northeastward to
the Nebraska-South Dakota border by the afternoon. A large area of
rain, sleet, and snow has been detected across the Northern Plains.
Localized areas of heavy rainfall were also embedded within this
region. Gusty, northwest winds with speeds ranging from 25 to 40 mph
have also accompanied shower activity. Meanwhile, an associated cold
front caused a band of rain showers with isolated thunderstorms across
the Mississippi Valleys.

To the west, another storm system produced mixed precipitation,
thunderstorms, small hail, and dense fog coverage over areas of the
Intermountains and across areas of the Southwest. A low pressure
system triggered light to moderate rain and snow showers as it pushed
through Nevada today. To the south, a cold front associated with this
system produced scattered rainfall with isolated thunderstorms and
small hail across areas of western Arizona and southern California.
Strong southwest winds of up to 50 mph accompanied storms in southern
California. To the north of the aforementioned system, another cold
front produced dense fog coverage over southern Idaho. The remainder
of the nation saw fair weather activity today as the East remained
under the influence of high pressure.
Two strong low pressure systems brought active winter weather to the
country on Wednesday. A system moved from the Southern Plains and
towards the Great Lakes, which produced a warm front that moved up the
Ohio River Valley and a cold front that extended into the Southeast.
The warm front brought heavy rain and a few scattered thunderstorms to
the Mid-Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys with 2.17 inches reported
in Forest, Indiana. Tornadoes have not yet been reported, but hail was
spotted in Crawford, Illinois. Flood watches were issued for these
areas as this system moved slowly throughout the day. Damaging winds
struck Kentucky and Tennessee, with gusts greater than 65 mph across
these areas. Reported in Carthage, Tennessee, a barn roof was
completely blown off and landed in a field. In the Southeast, the cold
front triggered light rain and cloudy skies. Meanwhile, the most of
the East Coast saw increasing clouds as the system approached. New
England saw scattered rain showers due to well above freezing
temperatures. Moving west, high pressure build in across the Plains as
the low pushed eastward. This allowed for mostly sunny skies over the
Central and Southern Plains, while the Northern Plains saw light snow
showers. Wet weather persisted on the West Coast due to another low
pressure system moving in from the Gulf of Alaska. This system pushed
a cold front over the Pacific Northwest and California, which kicked
up scattered showers with 0.75 inches of rain reported in Arcata, CA.
The Cascades and Sierras saw plenty of snow from this system, with new
snowfall accumulation between 6 to 10 inches above 2500 feet.
Active weather took place across the nation on Friday. The Central
Plains saw the most serious weather as a snowstorm moved out of
Colorado into Nebraska and Iowa where it dropped heavy snow throughout
the day. Snow accumulations up to 8 inches were reported, with
widespread reports of over 4 inches. By late afternoon, precipitation
had begun to taper off in most areas, though portions of Iowa
continued to experience moderate snow with visibilities reduced to
around 1000 feet. The Gulf Coast also saw wet weather Friday as a warm
front lifted out of the Gulf of Mexico. Steady heavy rain was reported
throughout southern Mississippi and Alabama and thunderstorms rumbled
across Louisiana and Southeastern Texas. In the West, California also
saw rain and snow as an intense Pacific storm moved ashore in the
overnight hours. Moderate to heavy rain fell below around 2000 feet
throughout much of the state, but at higher elevations, heavy snow was
reported. In the Sierra Nevada mountains, a heavy band of snow moved
through the region around mid-day dropping about 2 inches per hour.

15th-21st…A Pacific storm system located just off the northern
California shoreline continued to produce heavy winter precipitation
across central and southern California today. Heavy rainfall was
detected along the central and southern coast and valleys, while
strong southerly-southwesterly flow produced abundant snowfall across
the mountains and high elevations. Isolated thunderstorms and 15 to 30
mph winds with wind gusts of up to 40 mph accompanied heavy rainfall
rates of one-half inch per hour across southern California. Elsewhere,
isolated thunderstorms accompanied lighter rain showers with rainfall
rates of one-tenth inch per hour across the inner valleys and
foothills. Areas along the southern California Coast were placed under
Flash Flood Watches and Flood Advisories. Meanwhile, veering winds
assisted in producing significant snowfall over the Sierras and the
Tehachapi mountain vicinities. The mountain regions and higher
elevations of California remained under Winter Storm Warnings and
Winter Weather Advisories. The Eastern US remained under predominantly
fair conditions as high pressure continued trekking toward the
Atlantic today. Pockets of light precipitation were detected over
areas of the Great Lakes, southern Texas, and southern Florida,
otherwise dry conditions prevailed.
A strong winter storm moved from the Central Plains up the Ohio River
Valley on Wednesday. This system produced a warm front that extended
from Ohio, through the Tennessee Valley, and into the Southeast, which
brought light rain and kicked up scattered thunderstorms. These storms
turned severe over the Ohio Valley with multiple hail reports ranging
from golf ball sized in Allen, Kentucky, to penny size in Oak Grove,
Kentucky. In Richmond, Kentucky, hail covered the ground at two inches
deep. Strong winds have also been reported, but none of which have
reached severe strength. Campbellsville, Kentucky saw 26 mph winds
with gusts up to 35 mph. To the north, this strong low pressure system
brought mixed precipitation to New England and the Great Lakes region.
Light rain reached into Michigan and light rain turned into snow over
Pennsylvania. In South Bend, Indiana, 0.45 inches of rain was
reported. Light lake effect snow fell over northern Pennsylvania with
new snowfall accumulation less than a half of an inch. Meanwhile in
the Plains, high pressure built in over the region and allowed for
mostly sunny skies and seasonable temperatures. The Southern Plains
saw temperatures reach into the 80s, in addition to dry conditions,
increased fire threats over the region. The Northern Plains saw windy
and cool weather as high pressure pushed cold air in from Canada. The
West Coast finally saw dry conditions on Wednesday as a low pressure
system moved eastward over the Rockies and high pressure built in.
This brought mostly sunny skies and warmer temperatures.
Relatively benign weather transpired throughout the country on
Friday.
The most active weather occurred in the Northeast as cold flow over
the Great Lakes instigated considerable lake effect snow in western
New England. Additional morning snow showers fell in northern New
England as a low pressure system exited the region and moved into the
Atlantic Ocean. A developing low pressure system swept into the
Northern Plains from central Canada. It carried considerable cold air
into the northern half of the country, but it only produced scattered
snow showers in the Dakotas and Upper Midwest. A high pressure system
anchored over the Southeast provided dry conditions from the Southeast
Coast through the Southern Plains. Dry conditions associated with this
high pressure system produced dangerous fire weather that forced Red
Flag Warnings to be posted from Alabama through Florida. A low
pressure system off the West Coast inched closer to the coast of
Northern California, but failed to bring precipitation to the area by
mid afternoon. The Northeast rose into the 10s and 20s, while the
Southeast saw temperatures in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. The Northern
Plains rose into the 0s and 10s, while the Northwest saw temperatures
in the 30s and 40s.

22nd-28th…The nation's main weather stories occurred over the Western
US today. Northern California continued to see showery weather as
leftover boundary layer moisture produced scattered rain showers
across the coast and valleys with limited snowfall over the higher
elevations. Plumes of moisture spread southward and triggered bands of
rainfall across southern California as well. Moist instability along
the California shoreline made conditions favorable for isolated
thunderstorms, small hail development, and brief periods of heavy
downpours. Thus far, several instances of isolated thunderstorms have
been reported along the southern California Coast, with a lightning
strike reported over Santa Catalina Island. Strong southerly winds
sustained at about 25 mph with gusts to around 40 mph also accompanied
showers across the central and southern valleys. The central valleys
remained under a Wind Advisory, while the higher elevations of
northern California remained under a Winter Storm Warning.
The Pacific Northwest also saw wet weather conditions this afternoon.
A cold front associated with a low pressure system located off the
Northwest Coast produced healthy onshore flow and instigated shower
activity across the Pacific Northwest. Strong, south winds with gusts
to 60 mph caused areas along the Pacific Northwest Coast to be placed
under a High Wind Advisory. In the East, the winter storm system over
Maine lifted into southeastern Canada this morning. As the system
exited, strong northwest flow continued to plunge across the Great
Lakes and the Northeast, supporting pockets of lake-effect snow shower
development throughout the afternoon. The Central part of the nation
continued to see predominantly fair conditions this afternoon due to
dominating areas of high pressure. Dry conditions and gusty winds
across the Southern Plains put eastern New Mexico and northern Texas
at risk for fire weather activity.
Active weather persisted across the Eastern and Western US on
Wednesday. Starting in the West, a low pressure system moved into the
Pacific Northwest from the Gulf of Alaska and brought extremely cold
northern air with it. This cold air mass created a cold front lowered
snow levels in the mountains and triggered light rain over lower
elevations of Washington, Oregon, and northern California. In
Portland, Oregon 0.29 inches of rain has been reported, with 6-10
inches of snow in the Cascades. Meanwhile in the Heartland, a low
pressure system tracked through the Great Lakes and created a cold
front that extended down the Mississippi River Valley. Ahead of the
front, a combination of light rain and snow developed along the
northern edge of the front as temperatures remained warm in the mid-
to upper 30s. Snow accumulation in Michigan remained under an inch,
while precipitation has not yet been reported elsewhere along the
front. The Northeast saw mostly sunny skies and fair weather as a
ridge of high pressure stretched from Maine to the Mid-Atlantic
States. Temperatures ranged from the mid-30s in the north to the
mid-50s in the south. Further south, a small trough of low pressure
moved through the Lower Mississippi Valley and into the Southeast on
Wednesday. This triggered overcast skies with light and scattered rain
showers over the region. Birmingham, Alabama reported 0.16 inches of
rain.
The most active weather in the country remained in the East on
Saturday. This was due to a frontal system that moved very slowly
through the Southeast and off the eastern seaboard. As the northern
edge of the front moved off the East Coast, precipitation ended in New
England and the Mid-Atlantic. The heaviest precipitation occurred in
the Southeast due to a developing low pressure system that developed
along the frontal system. This precipitation included heavy rain and
thunderstorms that spawned several tornadoes in Alabama. There were
also several reports of wind damage due to thunderstorms in Georgia.
Tornado Watches remained posted in southern Georgia and Florida late
into the afternoon. A Pacific storm was set to renew wintry weather
along the West Coast later on Saturday and into Sunday. Ahead of this
storm, dry conditions were noted throughout the West. The Northeast
rose into the 10s, 20s, and 30s, while the Southeast saw temperatures
into the 70s and 80s. The Northern Plains rose into the 10s and 20s,
while the Northwest saw temperatures in the 30s and 40s.