January 2015 Blizzard (updated)

The recent weather focus has been squarely on the Northeastern portion of this country as an intense blizzard affects that portion of the country. The beginnings of this system were a clipper system that moved through the Ohio Valley Sunday through Monday morning. This system dropped mainly one to three inches  of snow on Northern Ohio. Once the system moved through much colder air moved into the region keeping high temperatures around twenty degrees. The Northeast Blizzard struck the region from eastern Long Island to Maine especially hard. Snowfall totals there were in the one to three feet range with winds gusting near 70mph is places. Areas from New York City westward were spared a directly hit as snowfall amounts were generally less than one foot. The active weather pattern will continue as two more systems will track through the the local region during the next five (5) days. While the northeast portion of the country is cold and snowy, the Western and Plain states are seeing record high temperatures!

Currently the strong blizzard is moving north just east of Massachusetts. Snowfall is ending across eastern portions of the state while heavy snow continues to fall over Maine. Locally skies are clearing as the East Coast system is moving away. Temperatures tonight will be very cold under clear skies and calming winds. Expect morning temperatures to be a few degrees on either side of zero. On Wednesday the region will be in between systems and will see calm conditions as temperatures rise to near thirty (30) degrees after the cold start.

On Thursday a storm system will pass to the north of the region. This should place the area in the warm sector meaning a mixture of rain, freezing rain and snow will be possible until the cold front comes through late in the day. High temperatures on Thursday should rise into the middle and upper thirties (30’s) Snow showers are likely overnight Thursday into Friday but amounts at this time look light. High temperatures on Friday and Saturday will remain in the lower twenties (20’s)

(Updated) On Sunday another system will approach the area from the southwest. Heavy snow will develop from west to across the area beginning late Saturday night. Snow will be heaviest from the evening through the overnight. Snow will end  during Monday morning from west to east across the area.

Current forecast is for 10-14 inches of snow for the lake shore counties and slightly less further south. Amounts will vary based on where the heavies bands set-up. 

Once the system passes, arctic air will arrive from Monday and Tuesday with high temperatures remaining in the teens (10’s). Overnight low temperatures will approach zero. The cold air will move quickly east and a moderation of the temperatures are likely for the second half of next week

Quiet and still COLD!!

The weak system that moved south of the area and dropped around four (4) inches of snow on many locations on Monday has allowed colder air to return. Today was a clear and cold with high temperatures topping out around twenty (20) degrees.  Wednesday will be another cold day before temperatures begin a slow but steady warming trend. Quiet weather should prevail for the next several days.

Currently an arctic area of high pressure is moving over the area. Light lake effect snows have been falling to the west of Cleveland but have not produced much accumulations. Tonight will be the coldest night in the forecast with temperatures falling to a few degrees on either side of zero (0) under clear skies and calm winds. Wednesday will be a near repeat of today as sunshine should be abundant and temperatures rise to around twenty (20) degrees. Temperatures will rise a few degrees on each of the next couple days with high temperatures approaching freezing on Friday.

On Saturday the area should experience a boost in temperatures as flow out of the south increases ahead of system tracking along the Canadian border. High temperatures will rise to near forty (40) degrees.

On Sunday a storm system will move through the area and will drop temperatures a few degrees. After high temperatures near forty on Sunday, high temperatures on Monday will be near thirty (30) degrees.

A thaw still looks to be in the cards with a high probability of temperatures above normal  next week as Pacific air should dominate the country. Unfortunately the thaw now does not appear to last until the end of the month as a pattern change back to colder weather is in the cards for the last week in the month. Stay tuned as the details become clear.

More Cold Air!!

The current cold snap will last two more days before more seasonable air returns to the region the second half of the weekend. This week has brought the coldest air of the winter season to the area. Low temperatures Thursday dropped below zero (0) with wind chills reaching twenty below (-20). As warned in the update a forecast bust occurred as the area did not see major snowfall from the lake effect event Wednesday. The air was plenty cold enough and the shear was low but an absence of deep moisture doomed the event. Another Alberta Clipper system tracked through the region overnight Thursday and spread a quick two to four (2-4) inches of snow across the area. Early morning temperatures approached twenty (20) degrees but are not heading down as Arctic air is ushered back into the region. Saturday will be the last bitterly cold day before temperatures next week rise to near seasonable levels.  An update to the severe weather that affected the South on January 3^rd and 4^th is now available. A total of twenty- four (24) tornadoes affected Mississippi (8), Alabama (9), and Georgia (7). Most were weak but a couple strong tornadoes did form as well.

Currently arctic air is flowing back into the region. Temperatures have fallen from their early morning highs and seem destined to fall to near zero (0) Saturday morning. Strong winds will send wind chills to near minus twenty (-20) overnight. Saturday temperatures will struggle to rise all day and may not reach their highs in the teens (10’s) till midnight.

On Sunday the area will be experiencing moderating temperatures as the arctic air moves off to the east. High temperatures will approach thirty (30) degrees which is seasonably cold. A weak storm system will move through the Ohio Valley overnight Sunday into Monday. It may spread a light snowfall accumulating a couple inches into the region.

The weather the rest next week should largely be quiet. Temperatures will remain near seasonable levels with high temperatures a few degrees on either side of thirty (30). Air of pacific origin begin to dominate the entire nation as the week progresses.  Any weak system that does affect with area should do so with very light precipitation.

Hello Cold!!! (Updated)

As predicted a strong front has pushed east across the country opening the door for the coldest air so far this winter season to arrive out of Canada. This system allowed high temperatures to rise into the middle and upper fifties (50’s) on Saturday and Sunday in Cleveland before colder air and snow showers were ushered into the region late Sunday. The storm system also produced several tornadoes across southern Mississippi and Alabama. Thankfully there was no loss of life from these storms. This week is setting up to be the coldest week of the winter season with a couple snow events affecting the area. By the end of the weekend temperatures are still expected to rise back towards normal.

Currently very cold air is moving into the region from Canada. High temperatures for the day were set during the morning as temperatures have steadily dropped into the lower teens (10’s) with sub-zero wind chills.  Overnight an Alberta clipper will move into the Ohio Valley spreading two to four (2-4) inches of snowfall across northern Ohio. On Tuesday high temperatures should rise into the lower 20’s.

On Wednesday a fresh blast of arctic air will be affecting the region. High temperatures will remain in the lower to middle teens (10’s) on Wednesday and Thursday. Lake effect snow will be ongoing with the highest totals occurring east of Cleveland. 

Lake effect snowfall amounts from overnight Tuesday through Thursday morning will be in the four to eight (4-8) inch range for much of the area. Isolated amounts near one (1) foot will also be possible in snow belt areas east and south of Cleveland. Lake effect snow is notoriously tricky so keep in mind that a forecast bust is entirely possible. 

On Friday a reinforcing shot of cold air will arrive but it will be a glancing hit. High temperatures will hold around twenty (20)  with lake effect snow a good possibility across northeastern Ohio.

On Saturday high pressure should push into the area ending the lake effect snow. High temperatures will rise into the middle twenties (20's). High temperatures will rise to near thirty (30) degrees on the back side of the high pressure on Sunday.

Cold Start to the New Year

December 2014 in Cleveland has entered the record books as having mild temperatures and being one of the least snowy Decembers ever. For the month the temperatures averaged three (3) degrees above normal and the 0.9 inches of snow is the third least amount ever for December. With the flipping of the calendar, the weather pattern has also flipped.  A much colder and potentially snowier pattern will take hold for the first ten (10) days or so of the New Year. Before the colder pattern takes hold a storm system will track from the southern Mississippi River Valley into the central Great Lakes over the weekend. Prepared for quickly rising and then falling temperatures during the weekend!

Currently high pressure is in firm control of the weather over the area. High temperatures today reached the middle thirties (30’s) under partly clear skies. An upper level low pressure is moving out of the Four Corners area and will generate a surface low pressure near eastern Texas overnight.

Saturday will begin the active weather period for the area. A piece of energy will race towards the area during the morning hours. Morning temperatures should rise quickly as a warm front lifts towards the area ending the threat for freezing rain by mid-morning. The freezing rain will become rain as temperatures rise through the 30’s and possibly into the forties (40’s) late in the day. Severe thunderstorms with damaging wind and few tornadoes will be possible in the lower Mississippi River Valley as a strengthening low pressure moves north towards the central Great Lakes.

Sunday will be the transition day. Temperatures during the morning will be in the upper forties (40’s) to near fifty (50) degrees before a strong cold front moves through during the day. Rain in the morning will transition to snow as the temperatures drop. Temperatures by Monday morning will be in the middle teens (10’s); high temperatures on Monday will only rise slightly from those levels. Snow showers will be possible on Monday as breezy conditions produce wind chills down to near minus ten (-10) degrees.

Tuesday the temperatures will moderate slightly as an Alberta Clipper approaches the area. High temperatures will rise into the middle twenties (20’s) as a general snowfall should impact the area. Accumulations as this time are uncertain but even colder air will be ushered into the area for Wednesday and Thursday.

On Wednesday potentially the coldest air of this winter season will affect the area. High temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday will only rise into the middle teens (10’s). Cold northerly winds will send wind chills well below zero and there will be a chance for lake effect snow to fall across northeastern Ohio.

Looking ahead though the pattern for the next 10 days or so will be cold it will also be progressive. As early as on January 10^th the cold pattern will begin to break. A strong Pacific jet will begin to affect the U.S. west coast which will weaken the high pressure centered over Western Canada. As this ridge of high pressure weakens so will the northerly flow into the central and eastern U.S. This should allow below normal temperatures at eight (8) days out to moderate to above normal levels by day fourteen (14)