The next several days will feature multiple “clipper” low pressure systems across the northern US which are typically rather quick movers from northwest-to-southeast. One such system will track well to the north and west of the DC-to-Philly-to-NYC corridor later today bringing windy and slightly milder conditions to the I-95 corridor along with the threat of a few rain showers. A second “clipper” system will push towards the Mid-Atlantic region on Friday from the Ohio Valley. While this system may begin to weaken upon its approach, it can still produce some snow on Friday in parts of the Mid-Atlantic region including the DC metro and parts of Virginia (a hot spot so far this winter season for snowfall).
Over the weekend, yet another “clipper” system will push east-southeast towards the Mid-Atlantic region from the Ohio Valley, and this one will feature some strong support in the upper atmosphere with a vigorous jet streak. As a result, this is the most impressive to me of all of these “clipper” systems with the highest potential of producing accumulating snow in the Mid-Atlantic region (late Saturday into early Sunday). One final note, the Arctic blast that reaches the north-central US by early this weekend and then the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast US by early next week will feature some of the coldest air yet in this relentless cold weather pattern that began around Thanksgiving Day. Temperatures can drop to twenty degrees below zero by Sunday morning across a wide portion of the Upper Midwest from Minnesota-to-Iowa-to-Wisconsin.
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After a very cold day on Tuesday, temperatures will moderate today as a “clipper” low pressure system pushes well to our north resulting in a low-level south-to-southwesterly flow that’ll bring in slightly milder air. Some precipitation is likely with this “clipper” system and - despite the slightly milder conditions - it may still be cold enough in some areas for a few ice pellets or snowflakes to be mixed in at times. Another “clipper” system can bring a touch of snow here late Friday/Friday night and then a third one can produce some snow from late Saturday into early Sunday. The weekend “clipper” system will usher in a reinforcing Arctic air mass for the first part of next week...some warmer weather is possible during the second half of next week
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The day dawns with the lowest temperatures of the season so far in the Mid-Atlantic region and, in many spots, it is near or at a record low for the date. After a very cold Tuesday, temperatures will moderate at mid-week as a “clipper” low pressure system pushes well to the north of here resulting in a stiff southwesterly flow of air on Wednesday that’ll bring in slightly milder air. Some precipitation is likely on Wednesday with this initial “clipper” system and - despite the warm up - it may still be cold enough in some areas for a mix of rain and snow at the onset. Another “clipper” system can bring some snow to the area later Friday and then a third one can produce some snow in the Saturday-to-Sunday time frame. That last “clipper” system will usher in another bitter cold Arctic air mass for the late weekend and early part of next week…warmer weather is possible later next week.
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The cold pattern that has brought relentless cold in recent days from Alaska to the Mid-Atlantic region will continue for at least another week or so. The new work week begins with some frigid air in the eastern states and overnight lows in the DC-to-Philly-to-NYC corridor will drop to their lowest levels of the season so far. “Clipper” low pressure systems will swing cold fronts through the northeastern states during the next few days limiting any chance for a sustained warmup. One “clipper” can bring rain, ice and/or snow to the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast US at mid-week and a second system can bring a touch of snow in the late week. Over the weekend, low pressure may ride along the Arctic boundary zone, and this system could bring some accumulating snow to the Mid-Atlantic region to go along with the well below-normal temperatures that should last into the early part of next week.
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The week will start off with far below-normal temperatures in the Mid-Atlantic region following the passage of a strong cold front on Sunday night. Temperatures will struggle today to climb past the freezing mark and overnight lows should be in the lower teens in most areas...coldest readings so far this season. Some moderation in temperatures will come by the middle of the week as a low pressure system passes by to our north, and then a “clipper” system could produce some snow and/or rain around here later in the week. Looking ahead, another frigid air mass is likely to impact much of the central and eastern US this weekend supported by an extremely strong Canadian high pressure system.
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Low pressure is pushing to the northeast today from the southeastern states and its moisture field is moving into some very cold and dry Arctic air across the Mid-Atlantic region. The result is that snow has broken out across the southern Mid-Atlantic region and accumulations are likely today in the region from DC/Virginia to the Delmarva Peninsula to southern New Jersey. In fact, the DC metro region can see as much as 2 or 3 inches of snow and as much as 4 or 5 inches can accumulate in sections of central and southern Virginia. The Philly and NYC metro regions will be on the northern fringe of this system with light snow a possibility and perhaps a coating in some areas.
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An Arctic blast that resulted in numerous record low temperatures this morning across the Upper Midwest/Great Lakes is on its way to the Mid-Atlantic region, and it will set the stage for an accumulating snow event on Friday in the southern half of the area from DC/Virginia to the Delmarva Peninsula to the southern part of New Jersey. Temperatures in the overnight hours will drop into the teens in many of the suburbs along the I-95 corridor following the passage of an Arctic cold frontal system later today. Moisture on Friday will spread to the northeast from the Tennessee Valley and run into this very cold and dry Arctic air mass and snow will break out early in the day across much of Virginia and the DC metro region...in other words, both the AM and PM commutes can be slippery in these areas on Friday.
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An Arctic cold front will approach the region later today and winds will be on the increase as a result and there can be scattered snow showers as well. The coldest air so far this season pushes into the area later tonight and overnight lows are liable to be in the middle teens across most suburban locations. Low pressure will push northeastward from the southeastern states later tomorrow and it could throw some snow our way in the afternoon and evening with small accumulations possible on the order of a coating to an inch.
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The month of December has gotten off to a cold start across much of the eastern half of the nation and there will be multiple cold air outbreaks in coming days. Two signals that have foreshadowed a cold period include an unusually early season stratospheric warming event and the movement of a tropical disturbance into a position that favors colder-than-normal weather across much of the nation. In fact, there appears to be a second burst of stratospheric warming in the offing for later this month resulting in a “stretched” polar vortex, and the tropical disturbance will likely persist in much of the same “cold” position” for awhile longer...both of these favor the idea of additional cold air outbreaks as we progress through the month.
The cold pattern has been quite active as well and multiple systems will have to be watched in coming days. On Friday, low pressure will develop over the Deep South and head in an northeasterly direction. This system is likely to produce some accumulating snow in the southern half of the Mid-Atlantic region and looks like a light-to-moderate snow event. Another low pressure system may pull out of the southeastern states by early next week and head in an northeasterly direction at the same time a “clipper” moves southeastward across the Great Lakes…we’ll monitor this activity as it could result in some accumulating snow for the northern Mid-Atlantic and Northeast US. Later next week, it appears a couple of other “clipper” systems will drop southeastward from southwestern Canada into the Great Lakes and ultimately, to the Northeast US. Finally, the significant change in recent days of an index value known as the “Southern Oscillation” is raising a red flag that the chance of an east coast storm will be on the rise somewhere down the road as the sub-tropical jet stream likely becomes activated.
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High pressure takes control of the weather for the mid-week and then a strong cold frontal passage will take place here by tomorrow night and it will usher in the coldest air so far this season. As a result, temperatures are likely to bottom out in the middle teens across most suburban locations by early Friday morning and highs later in the day will be confined to the low-to-mid 30’s with an increase in cloud cover. Low pressure will close in on the area from the south later in the day on Friday and it could produce some accumulating snow in portions of the Mid-Atlantic region; especially, to the south of the PA/MD border.
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