The Nation's Weather

Forecasters predicted one storm system would drop heavy rain from Ohio Valley to the Northeast on Thursday, while another system in the West could bring rain and snow to Montana.

The first system was expected to also bring cooler air to the upper Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and parts of the Southeast.

High temperatures in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes were expected to be in the 40s and 50s, while highs in the 50s and 60s were expected in the Northeast.

In the West, a second system was expected in the Intermountain West, bringing rain and high elevation snow showers as far as Montana.

Separately, rain was expected in parts of northern California and the Northwest. The Plains were expected to remain dry.

High temperatures in the Southern Plains and Southwest were expected to reach into the 80s and 90s. The Northwest was expected to see highs in the 50s and 60s.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Wednesday ranged from a low of 20 degrees at Bridgeport, Calif. to a high of 97 degrees at Roosevelt, Ariz.

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On the Net:

Weather Underground: http://www.wunderground.com

National Weather Service: http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov

Intellicast: http://www.intellicast.com