US

Weather Underground Forecast for Friday, January 16, 2009.

Once again the major weather story across the country will be frigid temperatures in the Northeast and Mid-West. Residents of the region will wake up to some of the coldest temperatures in several years with overnight lows in the single digits or lower expected from the Mid-Atlantic region northward. In the South, single digit lows will make it down to around Birmingham Alabama with freezing temperatures as far south as Tampa.

Along with the cold temperatures in the region, most locations will see continued clear skies as a massive high pressure system continues to build over the mid-Mississippi Valley.

The Arctic weather in the East will be caused by a deep trough in the Jet Stream allowing air to spill southward from the Canadian Arctic. The trough in the East will be countered by an equally impressive ridge in the Jet over the eastern Pacific. The ridge will continue to bring exceptionally warm weather to the West with another day of record or near record highs anticipated along the West Coast. Along with the warm weather in the West, clear skies and dry conditions are anticipated for yet another day. The lack of rain in California is causing concern for drought conditions later in the year since January, normally the region's wettest month, remains so far below normal precipitation.



Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Thursday ranged from a low of -41 degrees at Bismarck, ND to a high of 82 degrees at Fullerton, Calif.