August 31, 2010: The nation's weather
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Storms were forecast to continue moving through the northern U.S. on Tuesday, while tropical storm activity remained high in the Atlantic Ocean.
Hurricane Earl had strengthened to a category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds at 135 mph and was expected to maintain its current intensity as it moved northwestward, skirting just east of the Bahamas and Florida. The system had already kicked up scattered showers and thunderstorms over southern Florida, thus, these storms would persist Tuesday as the system moved closer to the eastern U.S. Meanwhile, Danielle was located about 425 miles southeast of Cape Race in Newfoundland. The system had decreased to a tropical storm with maximum winds at 70 mph and would continue losing strength as it moved eastward into the North Atlantic Ocean. Farther south in the Mid-Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Fiona had developed and was about 900 miles east of the Leeward Islands. This system would take a similar track, moving northward up the East Coast of the U.S. shortly behind Hurricane Earl.
In the Central U.S., a low pressure system moving off the Northern Rockies pushed a frontal boundary through the Northern Plains. This system was forecast to kick up scattered showers and thunderstorms throughout the day, some of which may turn severe as it has a history of producing strong winds, heavy rain and large hail. Mild weather was expected to persist over the eastern half of the country as high pressure dominated, while the West Coast would see a few scattered showers over the Northwest as a mild trough pushed some moisture onshore.
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Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Monday ranged from a low of 20 degrees at Charleston, Nev., to a high of 105 degrees at Laredo, Texas.