A cold frontal boundary will continue to stall over the Intermountain West, through the southern Plains and along the Gulf Coast on Friday, while a ridge of high pressure will build along the coast of California.
The West Coast will continue to experience clear skies on Friday due to a high pressure system along the California coast. Temperatures will range between the 50s and 60s in Washington, Oregon, and northern California, while temperatures in southern California, Nevada and Arizona will push into the 80s and 90s.
Along the eastern half of the Intermountain West, cool weather will continue to persist due to a lingering cold frontal boundary. This cold front will stretch southward over the southern Plains and across the Gulf Coast, and will provide showers and thunderstorms to Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. High elevation snow will be possible in the central Rockies during the morning and evening hours on Friday. The northern Plains and upper Midwest may experience spotty showers throughout the day, while parts of the Northeast will have a chance for snow showers. The central and southern Appalachian states, as well as the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast states can expect dry conditions on Friday as a ridge of high pressure builds over Tennessee. The exception to this will be along the southern tip of Florida, where an onshore flow could trigger a stray shower in the afternoon.
THURSDAY'S WEATHER EXTREMES:
HIGHEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F).......94 Death Valley, Calif.
HIGHEST HEAT INDEX (DEGREES F)........94 Ellington Field, Texas
LOWEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F).................15 Moose, Wyo.
LOWEST WIND CHILL (DEGREES F)..........-16 Mt. Washington, N.H.
HIGHEST WIND GUST (MPH)........................146 Napa County, Calif.
HIGHEST PRECIPITATION (INCHES)...........2.43 False Pass, Alaska
ON THIS DATE
Sometimes radar can be misleading. On this date in 1981, the Apalachicola, FL weather radar did not even register a strong but short-lived tornado that ripped through Blountstown, FL causing $2 million in damage.