Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

Weather Underground midday recap for Wednesday, May 22, 2013. After a couple of active severe weather days earlier this week, Wednesday experienced a bit of a lull in severe weather, although some areas continued to see strong thunderstorms.

The Storm Prediction Center posted a slight risk of severe weather in the Northeast, warning of potentially strong thunderstorms that were capable of producing heavy rain, strong winds, and large hail. Severe Thunderstorm Watches were even posted from the northern Appalachians through Vermont and Massachusetts. Residents in the Northeast should continue to monitor the progress of severe weather into the evening due to the capability of strong thunderstorms developing into the evening.

In the Southeast, a cold front swept through the area and instigated another round strong thunderstorms that prompted more Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for some areas. The good news was that, by late afternoon, there were no dangerous tornadoes like those that had developed earlier this week.

Meanwhile, a Pacific cold front moved through the Northwest and instigated more rain and some high elevation snow in the area. This precipitation gradually moved inland to Idaho and Montana.

The middle portion of the country remained dry as an active storm swept into the Midwest and produced scattered light to moderate rain.

The Northeast rose into the 70s, while the Southeast saw temperatures in the 70s and 80s. The Southwest rose into the 80s and 90s, while the Northwest saw temperatures in the 40s and 50s.