Thunderstorms Threaten Southeast, Ohio and Tennessee Valleys
The system destined to cause extensive flooding in the Northeast this weekend will produce strong, drenching storms that will menace three separate zones from the Ohio Valley to southern Florida into tonight.
Thursday, a few tornadoes touched down and caused damage in northern Florida. At midweek, severe storms hammered the southern Plains with large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes that injured a handful of people.

Storms with potential for spawning damaging winds, isolated tornadoes, waterspouts, and flash flooding will hit southern Florida. Miami, Key West, and Homestead, Fla. all lie in the path of vigorous thunderstorms.
While the threat for severe weather has shifted to the south across the Sunshine State, torrential downpours may lead to some flooding across central Florida, spanning Vero Beach, Melbourne, Orlando, and Tampa.
Many areas have already been soaked by more than 2.0 inches of rain. Numerous roads were flooded in Ocala, Fla. Thursday, as nearly 6.0 inches of rain poured down over the area.
Meanwhile, a line of storms with a history of producing hail up to the size of tennis balls across parts of Mississippi and Alabama is pushing through eastern Alabama, Georgia, and northern Florida.
Damaging winds and large hail will be the biggest threats with storms in that region.
The third area at risk for strong storms will be over portions of the Ohio and Tennessee valleys, from Indiana, Illinois and Ohio through Tennessee.
The main threats into tonight include flash flooding and hail up to the size of nickels and quarters. A few of the strongest storms could trigger a short-lived tornado.
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Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 82° | Gila Bend, AZ |
| Low | -13° | Clayton Lake, ME |
| Precip | 1.24" | Spanish Fork, UT |
WeatherWhys®
The "Dead of Winter," the one-month period when normal temperatures reach their lowest levels, has come to an end for much of the United States. Some people may find it odd that the "Dead of Winter" does not encompass the darkest day of the year (the first day of winter). That is due to a seasonal lag in temperatures. More heat continues to be lost than is gained from the start of winter until this time of year.
This Day In Weather History
Gulf Coast 1 (899)
ry cold morning along Gulf Coast; New Orleans 6.8 deg.; Mobile -1 deg.; Pensacola 7 deg.; Tallahassee -2 deg (All time record for Florida. Brownsville 12 deg. (all time low).
North Dakota 1 (936)
this date the mercury plummeted to -60 deg. at Parshall, ND - the coldest temperature ever for the State of ND. Later the same year, the mercury soared to 121 deg. at Steele, ND - the hottest temperature ever for the state of ND.









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