Hello Winter!!

Though the calendar still stays November and the area was a washed in clear skies and mild 66 degree air yesterday, winter has arrived today. A strong cold front moved late Tuesday and has ushered in the first arctic air mass of the season. The storm system associated with the front produced heavy snow from Minnesota into Upper Michigan. Currently lake effect snow is ongoing off Lake Superior and should spread south and east off the other Great Lakes through tomorrow. The deep trough will continue to dig with reinforcing shots of cold air through the middle of next week. Of course with the deep trough over the Eastern US of A, mild air associated with a large ridge of high pressure will encompass much of the country west of the Rocky Mountains and into Alaska.

Currently the leading edge of the cold air is far to the east of the region. Winds out of the north are ushering in the below normal temperatures. 

On Thursday colder air will move into the area during the morning. Light snow may accompany the  arctic front as it moves through the area. Morning air temperatures in the middle 30's may be the highs for the day as temperatures remain steady or fall in to the lower 30's. Lake effect snow will be possible in the snow belt areas from Ashtabula into northwest Pennsylvania. By Friday morning snowfall amounts may reach near ten inches where the snow persists. 

On Saturday the flow will relax as a ridge moves into the area. High temperatures on Saturday and Sunday may reach into the upper 30's before the next front moves through on Sunday. This front will drop high temperatures back in to the lower 30's and turn the lake effect snow machine back on. Another cold front will be on track to move the area on Monday. 

The coldest air so far this season will be moving into the area on Tuesday. High temperatures may not reach freezing and lake effect snows may impact areas from the central lake shore eastward.