KGS MESSAGE OF THE DAY 

                                           2/21/2001 
                                                 

                      Matt Gilmore, National Severe Storms Laboratory, Ph.D. Research
                                          Meteorologist 
                                                 

                                          Precipitation: 
                  Today's weather in California will be quite similar to yesterday's.  The greatest
                  rainfall in the US will occur in Northern California along the coastal foothills with
                    nearly 1 inch by the end of the day.   California's northern Sierra Nevada
                  mountain range will experience the greatest snowfall in the US. Thunderstorms
                   may be possible from east Texas through Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi,
                                      Alabama, and Tennessee. 
                                                 

                                          Temperature: 
                  The temperature will continue to be below normal in the northern sections of the
                     contiguous United States (US) with coolest temperature in Minnesota,
                   Wisconsin, upstate New York, and Maine with some areas below 0°F. The
                 highest temperature in the US will again occur in extreme south Texas with a high
                                           near 80°F. 

                  Question:  Is there a relationship between the coldness of the air and the surface
                    pressure?   What direction does the air move around areas where surface
                 pressure is high (clockwise or counterclockwise)?  What direction does air move
                               around areas where surface pressure is low? 
                                                 

                                   Matthew.Gilmore@nssl.noaa.gov 

                                           2/21/2001