Another Weekend Storm

Its another weekend this winter season and we all know what that means; a storm system with wintry weather is heading through the region. This morning we experienced another frigid morning with lows below zero in many locations. Officially Cleveland recorded a low of one (1) degree, not a record for the date but definitely cold enough! Hopefully this will be the last morning of such low temperatures for the region until at least next winter season.  The arctic high pressure responsible for the cold also provided wall to wall sunshine today as it moved overhead. As it moves to the east it will allow another cold front to move through the area on Saturday before stalling near the Ohio River. This front will become the focus for the overrunning precipitation late Saturday through Sunday and the track of low pressure early next week. All in all this means the next several days will be active with snow falling across much of the area. The exact details of the storm are still coming together and will be clearer as we move through through the weekend. The system that will be responsible for this storm is currently affecting California with heavy rain and snowfall.  Once it moves onshore proper sampling of it will bring the weather forecast into focus.

Currently a high pressure system is providing cold and calm conditions across the area. Tonight will start out clear before clouds arrive later. Temperatures will hold steady around twenty degrees overnight.

Tomorrow a cold front will move through the area. Temperatures will reach into the middle 30's before the front moves through. Precipitation will develop late tomorrow evening possibly beginning as light rain before quickly transitioning over to snow. Overnight snow amounts should be on the light side (1 or 2 inches possible)

Mid-day Sunday may see a stop in precipitation before the overrunning snow beings later in the evening . Snow will continue over night and may be heavy at times.

Low pressure will track through the Ohio River Valley early on Monday spreading snow across the area.  The snowfall should end by mid-day from west to east across the area. Total snowfall amounts will depend on the track and intensity of the low. Currently the heaviest snow is anticipated to fall south of the lake shore counties. Cold air will spread back in to the region through the day as the system exits.

Snowfall from this long duration system will affect the entire region with the highest likelihood for heavy snow near central Ohio. Snowfall totals of 4-8 inches will be possible for parts of Ohio. 

Once this system exits early next week, the weather will be controlled by a large area of cold high pressure. This will provide calm and cold conditions early in the week that will moderate as the week progresses.  By the weekend, temperatures are expected to be near normal.

Return to the Ice Box

The break from the Arctic temperatures is now official over.  Last week featured heavy snow overnight Monday (6-8 inches) and high temperatures in the 50’s on Thursday and Friday.  This has allowed much of the snow cover across the area to melt and areas of ice free water to appear on Lake Erie by the weekend.  This current week will feature much colder temperatures and occasional bouts of light snow as we close out climatological winter.  Early this morning a weak system dropped 1-3 inches of snow across northern Ohio.  Another weak system will move through overnight generating a few inches of accumulation and will reintroduce the area to Arctic air. Wednesday through Friday high temperatures will not rise above twenty (20) degrees. Lows on Friday morning will be near record lows with many areas, especially west of Cleveland, below zero (0).  This will bring to end to the much colder than average winter the area has been experiencing with a noteworthy cold snap. 

Currently the weather conditions are cold and quiet through the area. A weak system will move through overnight dropping light snow across Northern Ohio

The Arctic high pressure will move overhead Thursday night into Friday morning. This is will be allow temperatures to plummet with some areas dipping well below zero (0).

The cold pattern will continue for the next several weeks. The next system of importance will be moving through the Ohio Valley Sunday into Monday. Depending on the track and how much warm air is brought into the system, a significant snowfall is possible. Stay tuned for additional details at week's end. 

Long Awaited Thaw

Northeast Ohio is currently experiencing quiet but cold conditions as the main weather pattern remains to our south and east. The major winter storm affecting the East Coast has quickly moved into the Canadian Maritime. Snowfall in the northeast corridor ranged from three (3) inches in Boston to twelve (12) inches in Philadelphia. Heavier amounts were located to the west of the major cities. A weak system moved through the area early today with very light snows. Another weak system is moving through the Ohio Valley spreading generally snow but this will rapidly intensify as it moves off the New England coast tomorrow. The rest of the weekend will feature cold temperatures with high temperatures near twenty (20) and chances of light snow early Saturday and again early Sunday.  On Monday the warm-up begins with near average temperatures. It continues through Thursday as temperatures rise well above average with rain chances. Next week will be the best chance in several weeks to get outside to break the cabin fever!

Currently the area is experiencing cold but quiet conditions. Light snow affected the area this morning and additional light snow is currently moving through the Ohio Valley. High temperatures over the weekend will reach around twenty degrees with chances for light snow early Saturday and again on Sunday.

Monday the area will be experiencing flow out of the south which will help temperatures rise into the middle to upper 30's. Light precipitation will begin after noon and could be a mixture of rain and snow. After the front moves through quickly, the precipitation will change over to all snow overnight.

After the system moves through on Monday night, the warm-up will continue with high temperatures rising through the 40's on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday temperatures will rise into the 50's and rain, possibly heavy, will accompany the cold front as it moves through the area.

Next week will feature above average temperatures as a zonal pattern shuts off the Arctic air flowing from the North Pole. Sadly for those hoping this pattern change will continue for the foreseeable future, it will not. A sharp cold front will move through next weekend and it will allow an Arctic air mass to return to the area. The western ridge is showing indications of rebuilding along the West Coast and that means the cold trough could become reestablished over the Eastern USA.

Quiet Mid-Week

Yet another cold and snowy weekend has passed for the region. Snowfall amounts late Saturday through Sunday ranged between 2 and 4 inches for much of the area. Scattered light snow showers occurred this morning but the region is beginning to see the clouds break up and little sunshine break through. Tuesday is looking to be the coldest day with high temperatures near fifteen (15) degrees and overnight temperatures a few degrees on either side of zero (0) Our weather will remain generally calm and uneventful as temperatures moderate through the 20’s. The active weather will stay south and east of the region as yet another low pressure system spreads snow and ice through the Southeast.  A major ice storm is possible as this system moves through the Carolinas the second half of this week.  It is uncertain at this time if the low will affect the Northeast Corridor with rain, snow, or neither.

Quiet and cold weather will be the main story for our region most of this week. The main storm track will keep the snow and ice to our south and east.

On Thursday a system is predicted to move up the eastern seaboard after it affects the Southeast. Current forecast is for it to be far enough to our east to not have any major effects on the area.  People traveling east should keep an eye on the location of the rain/snow line. At this time it appears the major cities along the Northeast Corridor will see snow to start and then a mix with or change over to rain. 

On Friday a system will be approaching our area from the west and could produce some snowfall for the entire region.  Temperatures at that time will be approaching freezing at many locations.

Looking ahead, the weather pattern is still showing signs changing next week.  The pace of change will ultimately depend on how quickly the country can be dominated by an air mass of Pacific origin.  With the northern tier of the country under the influence of Arctic flow for so long, it is reasonable to hedge on a slow warm-up in case the cold air is reluctant to move out. Let us hope the models are correct and the much needed thaw occurs early next week. 

The Cold Pattern Continues

Someone seriously needs to knock this weather record off of repeat.  The much talked about winter storm that moved though the nation during the middle of week did not disappoint most.  Locally, the snowfall totals were on the lower end of the predicted range with most areas receiving between 4 and 8 inches.  As the system moved through the area, dry air wrapped into the area as the upper level energy tracked further north than anticipated. This in conjunction with the heaviest precipitation associated with the surface low staying south contributed to modest though still locally heavy amounts across the area. Currently cold Arctic high pressure is beginning to track though the Ohio Valley. Clear skies allowed temperatures to dip below zero this morning and high temperatures will struggle into the lower teens (10’s).  Overnight tonight, temperatures will again be a few degrees on either side of zero (0). A weak storm system will moved through the area Saturday night into Sunday spreading light snows as high temperatures rise into the twenties (20’s). Colder temperatures but calm weather returns for Monday.

Currently an Arctic area of high pressure is controlling the weather producing clea, calm and cold conditions for the region. Expect overnight lows to deep to a few degrees on either side of zero (0).

Saturday a weak system will move out of the Upper Plains and spread light snows in the 1-3 inch range across the area Saturday night into Sunday. High temperatures will rise in to the 20's over the weekend.

Monday calm and cold conditions will persist as high temperatures will struggle to make it to twenty (20) degrees. A slow moderation in temperatures will commence on Tuesday. 

Looking ahead into next week, the cold pattern will persist, as if that is new. The Western ridge is showing signs of strengthening which will help maintain a trough over the Eastern part of the Country. 

Widespread Snow

Today was a nice quiet, albeit cold, day in between storm systems. The weekend system behaved as predicted though the rainfall and snowfall amounts did over achieve.  Rainfall amounts were one half to three quarters of an inch and snowfall ranged from 2-4 inches. Today weak high pressure is providing party sunny conditions and high temperatures in the mid-20’s area wide. The next system to affect the area is beginning to organize over western Texas.  The system will track to the east through the lower Mississippi Valley before heading up the Appalachian Mountains and then transferring out to the East Coast. The system will spread overrunning precipitation in the form of snow from southwest to northeast starting late Tuesday afternoon. The snow will continue much of the day Wednesday and could be heavy at times, especially before noon. This will be a quickly moving storm systems but the track of the low pressure is very favorable for heavy snowfall in Northeast Ohio.  Once the system moves away, colder air will filter in behind the system and calm conditions should last until the weekend when the next system approaches the area from the south.

 Currently cold high pressure is present over the area. A weak low pressure moved quickly along the front and off of the East Coast spreading heavy snow from Philadelphia to New York City.

Snow from the system will begin falling late Tuesday afternoon, but steadiest and heaviest snow will occur overnight Tuesday through Wednesday morning. 

Snowfall amounts look to range between 6 and 10 inches with locally higher amounts.

After the system moves away, high pressure will control the weather until the weekend. High temperatures will fall to around 20 degrees on Thursday but will moderate into the middle to upper 20’s by the weekend.

Looking ahead the weather pattern will remain active through next week  Cold air from Canada will be maintained as more systems of pacific origin begin to affect the area.  A system appears to affect the area over the weekend though at this time the exact impacts are uncertain. Temperatures appear cold enough for snow but the track will determine the amounts.  Though a trough will be over the area, the broad nature of it should prevent a return to the true Arctic air the region experienced in January.

With Groundhog Day just occurring, this appears to be a good time to analyze and update the outlook for this present winter (Climatologically December –February).  So far, this present winter has trended colder than normal but the cold and snow has not been unprecedented.  Snowfall and temperatures for December were near normal.  January was solidly colder than normal with above normal snowfall. Oddly the coldest and heaviest snow occurred around Toledo.  This area was repeatedly in the sweet spot for snowfall and located where the coldest air settled. The outlook for February is for a cold start and increased storminess for the region.  Temperatures across the region are anticipated to moderate towards the end of the month, but currently there are no indications for that. What a fitting end to the current winter season.  People may be asking what happened to Climate Change and why were the earlier winter predictions incorrect?  The answer is lies with the stubborn high pressure positioned over the west coast of North America.

 This ridge found a home in November and has not moved much since. The ridge provided dry and warm conditions for the Western Continental USA (hence increased drought severity) and pumped warm moist air into Alaska. On its eastern flank, cold Arctic air was directed south across central Canada and into the Eastern USA.  This weather pattern occurred while most of the globe continued to see above average temperatures.  Overall this means we have seen a colder and snowier winter though as a whole the climate of the globe continues to warm.