The early winter storm of the Northern Plains strengthened as it headed northeastward across northern Minnesota on Thursday.

 The storm pulled a significantly colder air mass from the north into the Northern Plains and the Upper Midwest, and allowed for precipitation in the eastern Dakotas and northern Minnesota to changeover into snowfall from west to east.

Thursday morning snow totals in the region varied widely from no snow accumulation to locally heavy accumulations, with general amounts of 1 to 3 inches. Meanwhile, the northern counties of Minnesota saw bands of heavy snow and gusty winds with up to 6 inches of snow. Winter weather advisories remained in effect for most of far northern Minnesota.

To the south, a cold front extended south from this system and brought showers and thunderstorm to the Midwest and into the Southern Plains with a few isolated thunderstorms and cooler temperatures. Some of these storms have turned severe with large hail and strong winds. Quarter size hail was reported in Oregon, Missouri.

Meanwhile to the east, showers and thunderstorms diminished across the Eastern Seaboard as a frontal system weakened and lifted northward. This system brought a few more showers and thunderstorms to the Northeast, while the tail end of this front kicked up more thunderstorms across parts of the Carolinas and Florida throughout the day.

THURSDAY'S WEATHER EXTREMES:

HIGHEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F).........................99 Laredo, Texas

HIGHEST HEAT INDEX (DEGREES F)..........................112 Tampa Macdill AFB, Fla.

LOWEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)..........................10 Stanley, Idaho

LOWEST WIND CHILL (DEGREES F)...........................5 Stanley, Idaho

HIGHEST WIND GUST (MPH).................................62 Cape Newenham, Alaska

HIGHEST PRECIPITATION (INCHES)..........................2.04 Walhalla, N.D.

ON THIS DATE....... Two dozen tornadoes occurred in Oklahoma on this date in 1998, marking a record for most tornadoes in any one October day. Weather forecasters at the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., actually watched as one tornado passed in the distance.

The Associated Press