Wet and snowy conditions spread through the Northwest, while scattered showers continued for the Great Lakes and Northeast.
A trough of low pressure and an associated cold front continued to drop across the Pacific Northwest and advanced eastward into the Intermountain West and Northern Rockies. Moisture continued to pour in from the Pacific Ocean, while cooler air moved in from the north.
This allowed for rain showers to spread across Oregon and Washington, with high elevation snow showers in the Cascades and Northern Rockies. Rainfall totals ranged from 0.50 to 1.00 inches at lower elevations, while the Cascades saw 2 to 8 inches of snow. Snow levels continued to drop throughout the day as cooler air moved in.
Snowfall levels reached down to 3,000 feet in some parts of the northern Cascades. The leading edge of this system brought strong winds to the Northern and Central Rockies, with wind gusts from 40 to 50 mph. Thermopolis, Wyo., reported winds up to 56 mph.
Meanwhile in the East, a strong low pressure system lifted northeastward and into eastern Canada. The cold front associated with this system moved through the extreme Northeast before moving into the Atlantic Ocean.
This front triggered heavy rain showers from Maine through Connecticut. Severe storms have not been reported, but scattered thunderstorms with strong winds and heavy rainfall have developed.
Heaviest rainfall was reported in Groton, Conn., with a midday total of 2.03 inches of rain. Behind this system, flow over the Great Lakes picked up moisture and spread a few more scattered showers across parts of the downwind shores of the Lower Great Lakes. Rainfall totals remained less than a half of an inch in these areas.
SATURDAY'S WEATHER EXTREMES:
HIGHEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F).........................91 Harlingen, Texas
HIGHEST HEAT INDEX (DEGREES F)..........................99 Corpus Christi, Texas
LOWEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)..........................17 Gunnison, Colo.
LOWEST WIND CHILL (DEGREES F)...........................-27 Nuiqsut, Alaska
HIGHEST WIND GUST (MPH).................................60 Valdez Airport, Alaska
HIGHEST PRECIPITATION (INCHES)..........................2.03 Groton, Conn.
ON THIS DATE....... The extremely destructive Oakland Hills fire started in northern California on this date in 1991. By the time the fire was finally extinguished, twenty-two people had died and the fire had caused nearly $1.5 billion dollars in damage in destroying 3,300 homes.
The Associated Press