A much colder-than-normal weather pattern will set up for the central and eastern US during early January and it looks like it’ll be one with some staying power. In fact, this upcoming cold stretch for much of the nation may feature some extreme cold and very cold conditions may penetrate all the way into the Deep South from Texas-to-Florida. In addition, there are likely to be multiple snow threats in this developing weather pattern that can impact much of the central and eastern US to go along with the expected much colder-than-normal temperatures. Next week (1/5 to 1/12) looks particularly interesting in a period that may feature multiple snow and ice threats and potentially some extremely cold air. Numerous teleconnection indices support the notion of a much colder-than-normal weather pattern, and an unfolding stratospheric warming event enhances the idea that the much colder-than-normal temperature pattern can be sustained well into the month of January.
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High pressure stays in control of the weather for another day before the weather turns quite unsettled in the Mid-Atlantic region. Low pressure will impact the region with rainfall later tonight and Saturday…the rain can freeze on some surfaces in the wee hours of the morning; especially, across some of the northern suburbs. Another and even stronger low pressure system arrives on Sunday along with breezy and milder conditions and this one will bring more rain to the area, some of it can be heavy at times, and there can be a thunderstorm mixed into the picture. Yet another system is likely to bring more rain to the region by Tuesday, New Year’s Eve.
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High pressure stays in control of the weather for another day before the weather turns quite unsettled in the Mid-Atlantic region. Low pressure will impact the region with rainfall later tonight and Saturday…the rain can freeze on some surfaces in the wee hours of the morning; especially, across some of the northern and western suburbs. Another and even stronger low pressure system arrives on Sunday along with breezy and milder conditions and this one will bring more rain to the area, some of it can be heavy at times, and there can be a thunderstorm mixed into the picture. Yet another system is likely to bring more rain to the region by Tuesday, New Year’s Eve.
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Low pressure passes by to our north this morning and it’ll bring us a period of snow that can quickly accumulate from a coating to an inch or so. Given the cold ground conditions, even a light precipitation event can result in slippery conditions on the roadways through the morning hours. High pressure returns later today bringing some sunshine to the area and Christmas Day should feature some sunshine as well with moderately cold conditions.
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The lowest temperatures so far this season greeted the new week in the Mid-Atlantic region with single digits in many suburban areas along I-95 and as low as ten below in the Poconos of northeastern PA. In fact, this morning’s temperature readings were the lowest in many spots of the Mid-Atlantic since about Christmas time two years ago when a brief, but severe cold snap hit the area. An Arctic high will weaken and shift offshore tonight and then low pressure to our north will bring a period of snow and ice on Tuesday morning. While this won’t be a heavy precipitation event on Tuesday morning, a burst of snow and ice can certainly cause problems on roadways which are quite cold given the recent chill.
Looking ahead, there are plenty of signs for a cold pattern to emerge in January with a deepening trough of low pressure likely to form over the eastern states. This upcoming cold pattern is likely to have some staying power as well given the development of strong high-latitude blocking across Canada. Numerous teleconnection indices support the notion of a cold pattern in January for much of the central and eastern US. In addition, given the potential positioning of the trough in the central and eastern US, the southern branch of the jet stream may very well become quite active which enhances the chance for snowstorms in an overall cold pattern.
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A very cold start to the new week with Arctic high pressure still in control across the Mid-Atlantic region. This high departs early tonight and a weak low pressure system to our northwest can produce a band of snow here early Tuesday morning which may be mixed with sleet and/or freezing rain…a coating to an inch or so is possible, watch for slippery spots as road conditions are quite cold. Some sunshine will return for Tuesday afternoon and also Wednesday, Christmas Day, and it stays moderately cold for this time of year.
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A “clipper” low pressure system dropping southeast from the Great Lakes will combine with an intensifying oceanic low to produce snow in the region from later today into early Saturday and it can be mixed with rain at times during the day. Accumulations of snow on the order of a coating to as much as 2 or 3 inches are on the table by early tomorrow morning. As the oceanic low intensifies on Saturday and pulls off to the northeast of here, the coldest air mass of the season so far will pour into the region this weekend. Temperatures on Sunday will be confined to the mid-to-upper 20’s for afternoon highs – the coldest day so far this season - and the overnight lows by early Monday morning could be near 10 degrees across some suburban locations.
One final note, for those planning to attend the college football playoff game at Penn State on Saturday (noon start)…bring blankets…high temperatures in the middle 20’s, windy with much lower wind chill values, and maybe a snow shower or two.
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The combination of a weakening “clipper” low pressure system and an intensifying ocean low that is to develop an inverted trough will raise the chance of some accumulating snow from later tomorrow into early Saturday across parts of the Mid-Atlantic region. There can be a coating to as much as 2 or 3 inches of snow by early Saturday across portion of eastern PA, much of New Jersey, and the New York City metro region and a coating of snow is possible as far south as the DC metro region. As the intensifying ocean low exits off to the northeast on Saturday, the door will be open for the coldest air mass of the season to ride into the Mid-Atlantic region on stiffening NW winds. A look ahead to early January suggests there will be the return of “high-latitude blocking” across Canada which tends to favor colder weather in the central and eastern US and teleconnection indices support the notion of an overall colder weather pattern.
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On Friday, a “clipper” low pressure system will drop to the south and east from the Great Lakes region at the same time low pressure starts to form over the western Atlantic Ocean. These two systems may combine to produce rain and/or snow showers in the region early Friday and then snow showers – perhaps even a period of steadier snow – from later Friday into early Saturday. Accumulations of snow on the order of a coating to a couple of inches are on the table by early Saturday morning.
As the low pressure system intensifies on Saturday and pulls off to the northeast of here, the coldest air of the season so far will pour into the region for the latter part of the weekend and early part of next week. Temperatures on Sunday will be confined to the mid-to-upper 20’s for afternoon highs – the coldest day so far this season - and the overnight lows by early Monday morning could be in the lower teens across some suburban locations.
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The combination of a weakening “clipper” low pressure system and an intensifying ocean low that develops an inverted trough will raise the chance of some accumulating snow from later Friday into early Saturday across the northern Mid-Atlantic region to include eastern PA, New Jersey and New York City. Farther to the south, snow showers are possible in the DC metro region by Friday night, but accumulating snow there is less likely than to the north of the PA/MD border. As the intensifying ocean low pulls away to the northeast on Saturday, the coldest air mass of the season so far will ride into the Mid-Atlantic region on stiff northwest winds and the lowest temperatures in this cold snap are likely to occur early Monday morning.
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