Weather

Locally gusty showers and thundershowers with small hail are expected to accompany chilly air across the Northeastern states Saturday. The day may start off sunny and mild on the coast, but temperatures will plunge during the showers and reach cold levels by Sunday morning.

Areas from the northern Plains to the western Great Lakes can expect dry and cool conditions as an area of high pressure builds over the region. A freeze may occur in some locations at night, where skies remain clear and winds become calm.

Warmth is likely to hold on over the southern Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Cooler air will settle in at night under clear skies.

Farther west, warmth is expected to build over the Rockies and High Plains with a breeze. As cooler air moves in aloft, thunderstorms are likely to erupt in the afternoon over the Rockies.

As warmth holds over Arizona, cooler air will push well inland from Washington, Oregon and Northern California to Idaho, Nevada and part of Southern California. The cooldown will be accompanied by clouds, showers and spotty thunderstorms. Rainfall with this pattern will not be enough to alleviate local drought conditions.

Focus: Severe Weather to Ramp Up in Central U.S.

Conditions will be prime for storms to spark in the central Plains early next week, bringing an end to the area’s tornado drought. Storms expected from Texas through Iowa could produce flooding, tornadoes, damaging winds and hail.