The polar jet has dominated the scene in recent weeks across North America resulting in numerous Arctic air masses being transported from western Canada into the northeastern states, but changes are underway as the sub-tropical jet is now showing plenty of life. This changing weather pattern will result in milder conditions across the northeastern states and some much-needed precipitation across the western and southern states after an extended dry stretch. The rejuvenated sub-tropical jet stream is pouring moisture today into southern California while an intensifying surface low pressure spins just off the San Francisco coastline. This system will produce some rain in low lying areas of the Golden State during the next 24 hours or so and significant accumulating snow in the mountains of eastern California.
By the early part of the weekend, this same low-pressure system will re-emerge over the south-central states and Gulf moisture will feed into its southeastern flank. As such, the moisture field will expand - good news for the Deep South where it has been dry - and the risk of severe weather will likely be put back in play in some areas. This system will then move in a general eastward direction and it can have an impact on the Mid-Atlantic region by the latter part of the weekend with mixed precipitation on the table. Much milder weather will follow in Mid-Atlantic/Northeast US later next week after the passage of this storm system off the eastern seaboard.
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A cold front will pass through the area later today and its passage will ensure moderately cold conditions for the remainder of the week and weekend. In addition, the winds will pick up today with gusts to 30 mph or so and it’ll stay quite breezy on Thursday as well to go along with the moderately cold conditions. Looking ahead, a storm system will trek across the southern states this weekend and it can impact the Mid-Atlantic region from later Sunday into Monday…potentially with a mixed bag of precipitation and accumulating snow cannot be ruled out. Following the passage of that storm system, a milder weather pattern will kick into gear next week across the northeastern part of the country. One final note, yesterday marked the 17th day in a row with at least 2” of snow on the ground at DCA…the longest such stretch in 36 years.
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Temperatures will modify some today in the Mid-Atlantic region with the approach of a warm front and there can be a bit of rain later in the day or early tonight. Right on its heels, a cold front will pass through the area on Wednesday and its passage will ensure moderately cold conditions for the remainder of the week and weekend. In addition, the winds will pick up at mid-week with gusts to 30 mph or so and it’ll stay quite breezy on Thursday to go along with the moderately cold conditions. The weekend will likely present another storm system for the Mid-Atlantic region and it could feature a mixed bag of rain, sleet and/or snow during the second half.
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The polar jet has dominated the scene in recent weeks typically extending all the way from western Canada into the northeastern US, but the sub-tropical jet is starting to show some life. This change in the overall weather pattern raises the prospects for moderation in temperatures across the northeastern states, some well-needed precipitation across many of the western states, and for the formation of storm systems that take a southern route across the southern states. By mid-week, a storm will head into California with some rainfall in low-lying areas and snow for mountainous areas, and then this low pressure system will re-emerge over the south-central states by the early part of the weekend...all of which will be aided by an activated sub-tropical jet stream.
The southern storm system will take a turn to the northeast later in the weekend and head towards the Ohio Valley, but it will become increasingly influenced by strong ridging centered over the Hudson Bay region of Canada. As such, the northward progression of the surface low will grind to a halt over the Ohio Valley and the action will shift to the east so that by the end of the weekend, strong low pressure is liable to be located somewhere near the eastern seaboard. Temperatures may be borderline later this weekend in the I-95 corridor so this region could become a “battle zone” with respect to precipitation type with snow favored to the north and west and rain to the south and east.
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After a bitter cold weekend, the new work week starts off with plenty of Arctic cold in the Mid-Atlantic region with numerous single digit temperatures being observed. Temperatures modify on Tuesday and then a cold front arrives at mid-week assuring cold weather for the second half of the week, but not the extreme cold just experienced. The weekend will bring another storm threat to monitor with the possibility of mixed precipitation during the second half.
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Intense cold this weekend with powerful and potentially damaging winds…
The combination of a clipper low pressure system and its associated cold front will produce snow showers in the area later today and tonight and there can be brief heavier snow bursts. Small accumulations are possible on the order of a coating to an inch and there can be slippery spots on the roadways. After the passage of the cold front, an Arctic air mass will plunge into the Mid-Atlantic region from eastern Canada leading to a bitter cold weekend. This Arctic air mass is the real deal, had its origins on the Siberian side of the North Pole, and will not have the usual modifying effects of crossing over the relatively warm Great Lakes. In addition to the bitter cold, biting winds will become a major factor on both weekend days with gusts of up to 55 mph producing dangerously low wind chill levels of well below zero and raising the possibility of power outages in some areas.
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An Arctic air mass will plunge into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast US this weekend moving almost directly southward from the frozen tundra region of eastern Canada. Actually, this incoming Arctic air mass had its origins several days ago on the other side of the North Pole and was transported into North America from Siberia in a “cross-polar” overall wind pattern. The cold front at the leading edge of this bitter cold air mass will be quite active with strong support in the upper part of the atmosphere. As a result, numerous snow showers are likely on Friday night, and there can be bursts of heavier snow mixing into the picture...small accumulations and slick spots on the roadways are on the table. In addition to the bitter cold this weekend, biting and potentially damaging winds will become a major factor with gusts to 50+ mph raising the prospects for power outages in some areas. The combination of bitter cold air and powerful winds will result in dangerously low wind chill levels from later Saturday to early Sunday with apparent temperatures well below zero at times in many areas.
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An Arctic air mass is headed to the Mid-Atlantic region for the weekend with its origins on the Siberian side of the North Pole. This Arctic blast will be directly discharged to us from eastern Canada as compared with the more conventional “northwest-to-southeast” route that has air traveling over the Great Lakes meaning there will be less chance for modification. The cold front at the leading edge of this bitter cold air mass will be quite active from late tomorrow afternoon into tomorrow night with strong support in the upper part of the atmosphere, leading to snow showers and perhaps a heavier snow squall. Small accumulations of a coating to an inch or so are likely by later tomorrow night…watch for slippery spots. In addition to the bitter cold this weekend, winds will become a major factor on both days with gusts up to 50 mph producing dangerously low wind chill levels of below zero in many locations.
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An Arctic air mass is headed to the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast US for the weekend with its origins on the Siberian side of the North Pole. This Arctic blast will be directly discharged to us from eastern Canada as compared with the more conventional “northwest-to-southeast” route that travels over the Great Lakes. The cold front at the leading edge of this bitter cold air mass will be quite active with strong support in the upper part of the atmosphere, likely leading to some accumulating snow on Friday afternoon and evening, and perhaps a few snow squalls will mix into the picture. In addition to the bitter cold, biting and potentially damaging winds will become a major factor on both weekend days with gusts of 50+ mph producing dangerously low wind chill levels of well below zero in many locations.
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Temperatures climbed above freezing on Tuesday for the first time in awhile in many spots and this allowed for some melting of the “snowcrete” that has been stuck in place in recent days. Yesterday’s “warmup” is the good news…the bad news is that much colder air returns by tonight and we’re headed for a bitter cold weekend in the Mid-Atlantic region. The next weather system of note will be a strong Arctic cold front that arrives later in the day on Friday and it can produce some snow during the afternoon and evening hours…perhaps even a snow squall. The passage of the late week Arctic front will result in a direct discharge of Arctic air from eastern Canada and temperatures are likely to be confined to the mid-to-upper 20’s for afternoon highs. In addition, the winds will be powerful on both Saturday and Sunday as the result of a very tight pressure gradient across the northeastern states and wind chill levels will be below zero at times. Another clipper system will drop southeast on Sunday from the Great Lakes to the Mid-Atlantic and it can produce snow showers in parts of the area.
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