Summary

NATIONAL SUMMARY

High pressure has pushed dry air into and chased away rain from the
Northeastern states this afternoon. As the sky cleared and winds
diminished last night, temperatures dipped to frosty levels in open
areas of eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, Michigan and upstate New
York. However, the leading edge of the drier air has stalled over the
South with slow-moving downpours causing incidents of flash and urban
flooding in South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina. The rainy
season, along with part of this system is leading to downpours in
Florida as well. Southerly winds continued to pump up warm air over
much of the Plains this afternoon. The warmth was reaching into much
of the Mississippi Valley as well. On the northern edge, showers and
thunderstorms were drifting across Minnesota and Wisconsin. A
slow-moving cool front continued to drift over the West. Spotty
showers and thunderstorms stretched from interior northern California
to the northern Rockies and the northern High Plains. South of the
front heat continued to build with locally gusty winds kicking up
dust and creating troubles for crews battling wildfires in the
Southwest. Dry weather held along much of the Pacific Coast with high
pressure building offshore.


SPECIAL WEATHER

Downpours Drench Drought Areas...

--A front that pushed through the Northeast during Wednesday evening
was hung up over the southern Atlantic Seaboard states. Slow-moving
showers and thunderstorms were unleashing torrential rainfall at the
local level in parts of South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. A
few neighborhoods picked up a couple of inches of rain in as many
hours today. The rain is much-needed in the region, less the urban
and flash flooding occurring. Rainfall departures of 5 to 10 inches
below normal since the start of the year are common in southern and
eastern parts of these states with severe to exceptional drought
conditions.


WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS BY ACCU WEATHER

Severe Weather Incidents Thursday...

--Quarter-sized hail fell in Clay county, west of Jacksonville, FL.

--Thunderstorms winds blew trees down in Forsyth County, Ga. near
Atlanta, one landed on a house

--Thunderstorm wind gusts reached 60 mph in parts of Utah.

--Thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines in Surrency, Ga.,
during the afternoon.

--Thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines in Greenwood, S.C.,
during the afternoon.

--Flash flooding occurred in the Florence, S.C. area, during the
afternoon. Several vehicles became stalled in high water. Up to three
feet of water was reported on suburban streets.

--Widespread flash flooding of streets occurred near Timmonsville,
S.C., during the afternoon.

--Flash flooding occurred in the Jesup, Ga. area, during the
afternoon.

--1.50-inch diameter hail fell onClinton, S.C., during the afternoon.

--1.00-inch diameter hail fell near Newberry, S.C., during the
afternoon.

--0.88-of-an-inch diameter hail fell near Blackstock, S.C., during
the midday.

--0.75-of-an-inch diameter hail fell near Laurens, S.C., during the
afternoon.

--0.75-of-an-inch diameter hail fell on Surrency, Ga., during the
afternoon.

24-Hour Rainfall (Inches) as of 8:00 p.m. EDT Thursday...

Homestead, FL 2.99
Key West, FL 2.65
Punta Gorda, FL 1.79
Marathon Key, FL 1.48
Florence, SC 2.85
Columbia, SC 1.94
Conway, SC 1.59
Spartanburg, SC 1.20
Savannah, GA 1.44
Lumberton, NC 1.70
Cherry Point NAS, NC 1.52
Stumpy Point, NC 1.09
Vero Beach, FL 1.16
West Palm Beach, FL 1.11
Patrick AFB, FL 1.01
Keystone Heights, FL 0.89

Record Highs Wednesday (Old/Year...New)...

Sidney, Neb. (89/1964) 91
Casper, Wyo. (87/1994) 88
Fort Meade, S.D. (90/1979) 91
West Plains, Mo. (87/1962) 88
Big Bear Lake, Calif. (79/2009) 82
Chadron, Neb. (Tied/1934) 93
Bishop, Calif. (Tied/2009) 94
Miles City, Mont. (89/1979) 91



DAILY EXTREMES

National High Today (through 9 pm) 116 at Death Valley, California
National Low Today (through 9 pm) 25 at Embarrass, Minnesota

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