Nasty weather expected for much of the United States

[elagache]

Dear WeatherCat "Yanks" . . . .

I assume you also watch the forecasts like a hawk, but in case you were asleep at the switch, there is a really nasty bit of weather headed for the heartland of the United States.  Here is the National Weather Service report about it:

http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=pmdspd

The nucleus for this mess is the remnants of Typhoon Nuri.  Here is a Christian Science Monitor article about it:

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2014/1108/Superstorm-Typhoon-Nuri-slams-Alaska-sets-up-big-chill-for-lower-48

Unfortunately we are at the moment in the same sort of horrible weather pattern that keeps the west dry and the Midwest and east cold.  So long as there is a blocking high-pressure over the west coast, the storms have to ride high up into the arctic and the dive back into the heart of the United States.

The latest forecast has a storm finally reaching us late next week.  I just hope that is the start of a storm door opening.  We all need more "normal" weather!

Cheers, Edouard 

[Bull Winkus]

Normal? ? What's that, Yogi?

[LesCimes]

Speaking of nasty weather, we just missed it today. A hundred miles north is ice and snow. All sorts of airline flights, including the flight home for our weekend visitor, in Charlotte, North Carolina have been canceled due to winter storm warnings. Glad that we got the flight cancelation notice before heading to the airport and getting stuck in the terminal or worse, on the tarmac. I don't regret not getting an ice storm. That stuff is devastating, worse than deep snow. Power goes out, branches fall on houses, across roads, etc. Bad stuff. So glad that we are just getting a bit of rain and no wintery stuff.

[HantaYo]

Snow in the mountains of Colorado    6.5" with snow rates of over 2"/hour but it is tapering off.  So in less than a week we have had 16+ inches of white stuff.  Last week 10.1" of snow contained 1.00" of water content.  Not your typically February snow in Colorado- more like late March or April spring storm.  And then most of the snow melted in 4 days.  This time I am not going bring out the snow blower just to have most of it melt in a few days.

[elagache]

Dear LesCimes, HantaYo, and WeatherCat climate watchers,

Sadly, good weather can be just as devastating as bad.  We got two juicy storms the first weekend of February, but ever since that ridge of high pressure has reasserted itself and we are as dry as a bone. 

Current forecasts show no rain through the end of the month.  Definitely looking really bad for our drought at the moment. 

Oh well, . . .

Edouard

[LesCimes]

My sister, visiting from Boston area, was worried about the return flight being canceled due to weather in Boston. Turns out Boston isn't the problem. Two days in a row, now, her flight has been canceled due to weather in Charlotte, North Carolina! The southern USA simply isn't prepared to handle winter weather well. So, her stay with us has been extended twice. Too bad I have to return to work in spite of the weather. A little ice here would have sufficed.

[HantaYo]

Edouard,

Lets hope the forecast for a west spring in the southwest pans out.

Looks like another winter storm potential for Colorado this weekend.  Weather forecast states "Snow will develop over the mountains by Friday afternoon as the weather system moves into the region with snow spreading through the area late Friday night or Saturday morning and likely persisting into Monday. This system show all the signs of being a significant winter storm, so start your preparations now."  Unfortunately I will be vacationing in southeast Colorado this weekend.  Have to see how the the storm is developing before canceling.  I do not want to be caught in a Great Plains blizzard.  Preparations might be staying home.  Maybe I should run to the store and stock up on bread and milk 

[Steve]

We're having great weather here in Ohio. It is a balmy 14? now, with a wind chill of 2?. That's a nice improvement from the last couple of mornings, where the temperature was -11?and -10?. Tomorrow is supposed to have a high of 3? and a low of -14?, with windchills of -35? and more (or rather, less.) Hey, at least the cold means not much snow! 

[LesCimes]

Steve,

Hey, at least the cold means not much snow

You need to change your weather banner to the winter look!  The foxgloves flowers (if that is what they are) look out of place right now.
 

[elagache]

Dear HantaYo, Steve, LesCimes, and WeatherCat climate watchers,

For a few days now, our local office of the National Weather Service has been predicting some rain reaching us 7-9 days from now.  That's a long way away, but even the Climate Prediction Center is agreeing on this one.  Alas, that 6-14 day climate forecast doesn't last.  March is now forecast to be below normal rainfall and 3 months out is equal change above or below.

If that ridge of high pressure remains more or less were it has been, it will continue to shunt storms way up into the arctic and when then come back down on the rest of the country it will be bitterly cold air.

Maybe we should require rain dancing to be taught in all of California's schools . . . . 

Edouard

P.S. On second thought, maybe that's a bad idea.  Considering how bad our schools are, perhaps trying to have our kids do rain dances would make things even drier!! 

[elagache]

Dear HantaYo, Steve, LesCimes, and WeatherCat climate watchers,

For a few days now, our local office of the National Weather Service has been predicting some rain reaching us 7-9 days from now.  That's a long way away, but even the Climate Prediction Center is agreeing on this one. 

*Heavy Sigh* . . . .

What a difference 24 hours makes.

This morning both the GFS and ECMWF stopped predicting any major change in the weather pattern.  Instead they forecasted the blocking high pressure ridge remaining in place.  This afternoon, the forecast waffled once more.  There is now a chance for rain in 7-9 days, but only very light amounts.  The latest Climate Prediction Center forecasts still show above normal rainfall, but . . . . will it actually show up. 

Lovely spring weather around here, but I can't really enjoy it . . . .

Edouard

[HantaYo]

Well, went on our trip but came back a day earlier and ended up with a Snow Goose bust.  Heavy snow in the forecast but it changes hourly.  First experience with a Great Plains dust storm near Lamar, Colorado.  Locals on our birding tour were urging a quick retreat out of the remote area we were in.  The dust cloud rolling in looked exactly like those old dust bowl pictures.  Sorry, no pictures as I left my camera to reduce weight due to all the birding gear.  Shame on me.  The day turned into twilight but luckily the cold front driven dust storm contained a nice rain and helped settle the dust down.  It is eerie driving in a dust storm - very similar to a blizzard.

[elagache]

Dear HantaYo and WeatherCat outdoor adventurers,

Well, went on our trip but came back a day earlier and ended up with a Snow Goose bust.  Heavy snow in the forecast but it changes hourly.  First experience with a Great Plains dust storm near Lamar, Colorado.  Locals on our birding tour were urging a quick retreat out of the remote area we were in.  The dust cloud rolling in looked exactly like those old dust bowl pictures.  Sorry, no pictures as I left my camera to reduce weight due to all the birding gear.  Shame on me.  The day turned into twilight but luckily the cold front driven dust storm contained a nice rain and helped settle the dust down.  It is eerie driving in a dust storm - very similar to a blizzard.

Wow!

Given the drought conditions I suppose this sort of phenomena has to be expected but it is something we aren't accustomed to.  It is definitely another sign that countries need to decide how to respond to the climate change that is already underway instead of hoping we can get the monster back inside the bottle.

Edouard

[LesCimes]

HantaYo,
Out birding, looking for Snow Geese? Pretty cool. A few years back I was able to observe the fall migration down the east coast and saw thousands of snow geese. It is very impressive. Sorry your trip was a bust, but you got dust. (Bad joke) Neat to hear of your birding interest.

Fellow birder,
LesCimes

[HantaYo]

LesCimes,

Well I found the snow  but still looking for the geese    Just made a snow report to NWS and we have approx. 19" of snow since Saturday night.  Currently it is snowing over 1"/hour.  Another 1 to 3" for today's forecast but they missed the mark last night by 5" so who knows - maybe the snow geese?  Snow in the forecast all days of the 5 day forecast.  SO glad we came home early.   I'll take some pictures of the winter wonderland.  Wife was called last night by the school - No school today