US

Weather Underground midday recap for Wednesday, December 02, 2009.

A raging low pressure system located over the Southeast brought unsettling weather activity to the southeastern quadrant of the nation on Wednesday. Rich and abundant gulf moisture fueled the system and allowed it to drench much of the Eastern Valleys, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Southeast with widespread rainfall and areas of scattered thunderstorms. Increasing instability and strong dynamics created a potential for severe thunderstorm development in the southern half of Georgia and the Florida Panhandle. These severe storms are expected to be accompanied by strong to damaging winds, isolated tornadoes, hail, and flooding. Thus far, a tornado was reported this morning in Okaloosa, Florida, while areas of localized flooding developed along areas of the Gulf Coast.

Meanwhile, a surge of cold air from the North continued to pour into the Central US today. The cold airmass dampened afternoon temperature maximums significantly throughout the region. Lowered temperatures supported a few pockets of snowfall in the Dakotas. Quiet and chilly weather persisted elsewhere.

Tranquil weather conditions also developed in the West as high pressure continued to dominate most of the region. Areas near the California coast started the day with gloomy skies as dense fog lingered through the morning and into the afternoon.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Wednesday have ranged from a morning low of 1 degrees at Gunnison, Co. to a midday high of 87 degrees at Boca Raton, Fla.