Midwest

Weather Underground midday recap for Saturday, October 11, 2008.

In the East, a low pressure system off the Southeast Coast kept scattered showers and thunderstorms going over the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida Peninsula. On the other hand, the northeastern U.S. experienced a mild and sunny day as high pressure held in place. Temperatures in the afternoon climbed into the 60s and 70s.

Moving to the middle part of the nation, a trough of low pressure pushed eastward into the Plains on Saturday. Moisture from the Pacific streamed northeastward across the Four Corners and Plains. As a result, widely scattered showers and thunderstorms developed across the region. Some severe thunderstorms pounded through portions of New Mexico and produced hail up to an inch in diameter and high wind gusts 50 to 60 mph.

Out West, a strong low pressure system in the Intermountain West caused the season's first wintry weather event. This system not only produced moderate to locally heavy snow across the Northern Rockies, Central Rockies and Northern High Plains, but also strong winds 45 to 55 mph. High temperatures on Saturday over the Northern Rockies, Northern High Plains and portions of the Great Basin were only in the 30s and 40s. Elko, Nevada, even tied its old record low temperature of 17 set in 2001 Saturday morning. It was also a relatively cool Saturday for parts of the West Coast compared to earlier this week. Afternoon temperatures were mainly in the 60s and 70s.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Saturday have ranged from a morning low of 15 degrees at Meacham, Ore to a midday high of 93 degrees at Cotulla, Texas.