Widespread showers and thunderstorms developed across the Midwest and Great Lakes on Thursday as a low pressure system moved eastward over the US and Canadian border.
This system pushed a cold front eastward, which kicked up some severe thunderstorms. Periods of heavy rainfall, large hail, and strong winds have been reported along this front. Multiple large trees were blown down in Lafayette, Indiana and 1 inch in diameter hail was reported in Seymour, Missouri.
Rainfall totals ranged around 1 inch across most of the Midwest and Ohio River Valley, with up to 2 inches reported in areas of severe weather development. Ahead of this system in the East, an area of low pressure lingered over the Northeast.
Counter-clockwise flow around this system brought more moisture onshore from the Atlantic Ocean which triggered periods of heavy rainfall across Maine. Heaviest rain was reported in Bar Harbor, Maine with a midday total of 2.42 inches.
A cold front associated with this system stretched southward and moved off the East Coast. However, the tail end of the front lingered over the Bahamas and Florida, and allowed for showers and thunderstorms to persist throughout the day.
Out West, an area of low pressure off the coast of California created onshore flow which kept temperatures slightly cooler across the state. To the south, monsoonal moisture allowed for thunderstorm activity to persist across the Southwest.
THURSDAY'S WEATHER EXTREMES:
HIGHEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F).........................101 Zapata, Texas
HIGHEST HEAT INDEX (DEGREES F)..........................112 Ellington Field, Texas
LOWEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)..........................32 West Yellowstone, Mont.
LOWEST WIND CHILL (DEGREES F)...........................-8 West Memphis, Ark.
HIGHEST WIND GUST (MPH).................................53 Des Moines, Iowa
HIGHEST PRECIPITATION (INCHES)..........................2.42 Bar Harbor, Maine
ON THIS DATE....... The weather played a big part in helping America gain its independence. The Battle of Bennington was fought on this date in 1777, after a one day delay due to rain. British reinforcements were delayed due to the rain, thus allowing the Americans to defeat two smaller armies rather than one large army.
The Associated Press