Daily briefing: Two big storms

Two storm systems, one moving across the Midwest and Mississippi Valley and another hitting the Northwest, will bring big soggy trouble today. This is included in today's daily briefing published every weekday at 5 a.m. ET.

The WeatherRadar shows a winter storm extending from the Gulf Coast northward into the Midwest and Great Lakes will bring heavy rain to the Mississippi Valley, South, and Great Lakes. It will also produce snow across the Upper Midwest.

Later today, this system will produce a few thunderstorms that will roll off the Gulf and into northern and central Florida while rain edges up the East Coast.

Another Pacific storm will roll into the Northwest and northern Rockies, bringing rain to coastal and valley locations and heavy snow over higher elevations of the Cascades and the northern Rockies.

Between these two systems, the WindRadar shows high winds will sweep across the central Plains and the southern Rockies. Strong northwestern wind gusts in excess of 35 mph are likely, bringing colder temperatures southward. The TemperatureRadar shows Thursday's highs across the Plains will range from the 70s in Texas to single digits in the Dakotas.

The quietest weather will be found across the Southwest and southern California. Bountiful sunshine will bring afternoon highs in the 60s and low 70s.