Weather Underground Forecast for Saturday, August 18, 2012.
Active weather will persist along the East Coast on Saturday as a cold front moves eastward and offshore throughout the day. The system will obtain abundant moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean, triggering more moderate to heavy showers and thunderstorms across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states, with lighter and more widespread showers anticipated in the Northeast. There is a slight chance that these storms will turn severe across the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic states. Meanwhile, the tail end of this front will extend westward into the Southern Plains. This will allow for more showers and thunderstorms to develop across Texas and Oklahoma, some of which may turn severe with strong winds, large hail, and periods of heavy rainfall.
Meanwhile in the North, a trough of low pressure dips through the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes. Although this system has limited moisture, it will produce widespread showers and thunderstorms throughout the day.
In the West, showers and thunderstorms continue across the Southwest as monsoonal moisture lingers over the region. These storms will advance northward from Arizona and New Mexico, into the Great Basin and Central Rockies. Meanwhile, the rest of the West Coast will continue to see a gradual cooling trend as a low pressure system approaches from the Pacific Ocean. This will maintain cloudy and cooler conditions along the coast.