Friday's forecast: Rain for Gulf Coast, snowy Rockies

A few showers will dampen the East Coast on Friday while severe storms hit the Plains and more snow whitens the Rockies.

East Coast: A few rain showers are possible all the way from New England to Florida on Friday.

Gulf Coast: More heavy rain and flash flooding will plague the sodden Gulf Coast, all the way from Texas to the Florida Panhandle.

Plains: Severe thunderstorms are forecast to hit the central and southern Plains from Kansas to Texas. Fierce winds, large hail and tornadoes are all possible.

West: Most of the West will be warm to hot on Friday. The exception will again be the central Rockies, where as much as two feet of snow will paste the higher elevations of Colorado.

Weather history for April 17: In 1985, the wind chill fell to minus 40 degrees in northern Maine, a day after highs reached the 70s.

In 2002, New York City topped out at an all-time April record high temperature of 96 degrees.