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)