Weather Underground midday recap for Wednesday, August 21, 2013. A relatively quiet day transpired across the country Wednesday as no major storm systems moved through the country. The heaviest rainfall developed in the Southeast the tail end of a long front lingered over the area. This precipitation came in the form of scattered showers and thunderstorms that are typical for Summertime in the Southeast.
Farther to the north, a weak front moved through the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, producing some rain and thunderstorms mainly in the Dakotas.
In the West, some monsoon moisture over the Southwest once again allowed afternoon showers and thunderstorms to develop from Arizona through the Rockies. Additional thunderstorms were expected in Northern California, Oregon and Idaho. These thunderstorms were to be accompanied by lightning that could spark dangerous fires in the area. Thus, Fire Weather Watches were posted warning of dangerous fire weather conditions.
The Northeast rose into the 70s and 80s, while the Southeast saw temperatures in the 80s and 90s. The Southern Plains rose into the 90s and 100s, while the Southwest will see similar temperatures. The Northwest rose into the 70s and 80s.
Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Wednesday have ranged from a morning low of 35 degrees at Meacham, Ore. to a midday high of 106 degrees at Needles, Calif.