Northeast

Weather Underground Forecast for Friday, December 05, 2008.

Strong westerly winds over the Great Lakes will create a large lake effect snow event for the Northeast on Friday, especially for Michigan and New York. The areas of Upper Michigan that see the heaviest and most persistent snow showers could receive up to a foot of snow, although most of Upper Michigan can expect a few inches to half a foot of snow on Friday. The heaviest of the lake effect snow will bring around six inches of snow to the western and northern potions of Lower Michigan that lie near Lake Michigan, with a couple inches of snow expected for the rest of the region. In New York, the Syracuse area could see up to a foot of lake effect snow. The northern Ohio Valley, as well as parts of Pennsylvania and New York can expect scattered flurries and snow showers, with a couple of inches of snow possible in the areas where the snow showers are the most persistent.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Northeast will see partly to mostly cloudy skies during the day on Friday, although the clouds will begin to clear out towards the end of the day in some areas as high pressure begins to build. This high pressure system will also bring clear skies to most of the Southeast, although a lingering front will produce a few showers over parts of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.

A new front will dip down into the Northern and Central Plains on Friday, bringing clouds, gusty winds, and snow to the region. The snowfall will be fairly light, and no significant accumulation is expected. High pressure will keep most of the Southern Plains clear during the day.

A second high pressure system will keep most of the West free of clouds on Friday, although fog and low clouds will continue to stagnate in California’s Central Valley.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Thursday ranged from a low of -7 degrees at Sparta, Wis to a high of 80 degrees at Ormond Beach, Fla.