Cold Moderates in Much of East

[CaptinCrunch]

Cold Moderates in Much of East
January 8, 2004

A significant thaw was spreading from
the Plains into the Ohio and Tennessee
Valleys while bone-chilling cold
remained across the northeast early
Thursday.

Some of the coldest air could be found
across northern New England and the
Adirondacks of northern New York
where below zero readings were
common. A WeatherBug live sensor in
Charlotte, VT reported a morning low
temperature of 6 below zero while a
sensor in Madrid, NY bottomed out at
11 below zero.

Meanwhile lake effect snow that had
plagued parts of western New York,
northwest Pennsylvania and Michigan
had tapered off by early Thursday as
winds shifted from westerly to northerly
and drier air moved in.

Storm totals of 2 to 3 feet were reported
in localized areas east of Lakes Erie
and Ontario in New York while up to a
foot was reported in parts of Michigan.
Further west, milder southerly winds
had kicked in between a storm
developing in the Plains and high
pressure sliding off the southeast coast.
A WeatherBug live sensor in Danville,
AR reported 39 degrees early Thursday
morning, 21 degrees milder than its
temperature at the same time on
Thursday.

The milder air will spread toward the
mid-Atlantic today where high
temperatures will reach into the mid to
upper 30s in the Washington, DC and
Philadelphia areas.

The storm developing out in the Plains
will spread a swath of wintry
precipitation into the Tennessee Valley
and the Carolinas late Thursday night
into early Friday. Accumulations are
expected to be very light but with cold
temperatures of late, even a little frozen
precipitation could easily turns roads
icy.

Behind the storm another push of
colder air will spread into the east
Friday into Saturday while warming
continues in the Plains.

[JCT777]

The milder air will spread toward the
mid-Atlantic today where high
temperatures will reach into the mid to
upper 30s in the Washington, DC and
Philadelphia areas.

High today in Philly thus far has been 30 degrees. DCA has reached 34, but Dulles only 32. So not quite as warm as they expected.