A dizzying array of weather in New England this past week, especiallytoday. The up coming week shows no sign of change either, if anythingthe stakes are rising.
For the first time in weeks, a deep snow fell on our ski areasFriday, a widespread 10"+. But even in southern areas where we hit 55with 2" of flooding rain, and 55 mph gusts during that storm, we hadsnow 4 of the last 7 days. Today in Boston Metro North 7" of snow thismorning was above and beyond the call of the forecast, but the realmystery is the temperature. We know evaporation cooling brings thetemperature and dew point together when precipitation begins. So when Idrove through moderate snow for an hour to NECN at 4:30 am, with 2" ofnew snow and a temperature and dew point near 32, it seemed logical toforecast highs of 35. Sure enough we went to 35 by 10 AM, but then Iwatched with amazement as the temperature fell to 27 60 minutes later.Even more peculiar is the air in Maine.
Snow began in Portland at 1:30 AM, when the temperature (T) was 24and the dew point (Td) was 17. In most cases the temperature goes upand the dew point comes down when precipitation begins. Not this time.By 7 AM the Portland T dropped to 15, Td to 11. We had very cold airin northern Maine yesterday, Frenchville only hit 7 yesterday anddropped to -9 this morning. So, as I write the logic appears, the weaklow south of Block Island must of intensified a bit as it passed eastof Nantucket by noon. A Backdoor front appears to have formed and movedsouth to Rhode Island this morning. That cold was effective in wringout that moisture, also explaining the over achieving snowfall, andnortherly gusts to 35 mph that developed out of no where at the beachmidday today.The entire time this happened, the wind on MountWashington was from the south! (great overrunning). Now what do we dowith all this cold as the old California (snow in San Francisco &Tucson, record cold in the desert) Low comes Screaming out of thesouthwest in a hand off to the Northern Stream and crosses New EnglandMonday? Another 'Kitchen Sink' storm for us Monday.
The barometer is actually rising tonight. That is heavy cold air settling south in New England. Tornados are breaking out from Oklahoma to Kentucky, setting the stage for a clash of air masses. That warm enrgy will plow into our cold Monday. We have winter weather advisories for freezing rain and sleet inland, and snow in Northern Maine. Also a flood watch in southern New England for 1"+ rainfall in the same place we 2"Friday. Dense fog will be another ingredient to slow us on the roads and at the airports Monday. Temps will jump to near 70 in New York City and parts of southern New England. The we get a cold front at Night with another rapid temperature fall, and a flash freeze possible.
Tuesday is sunny and cold.
Warmer Wednesday, with an afternoon squall and more new cold Thursday. Friday we have the highest Barometer in years ~1040 millibars. Then another weekend storm with rain changing to snow Saturday into Sunday. After that.. a series of historical cold and series of March Storms wil keep us busy into April. We finally get a snowy (and another rainy) March. This is brief because I am 36 hours into a busy weekend.
A few (more) interesting side notes..
We have 950 Millibar Low on the South Coast of Greenland tonight. The deepest cold and thickest Ice on the Baltic Sea in 35 years has formed.
And Burlington Vermont is closing the books on the snowiest February on record, 42.8" with a day to go, beats 42.3" iin 2008. Also 97.6" of snow since December 1st is second only to 103.4" in 2007/2008.
Joe Cullen in Wilmot NH has about 34" of snow on the ground, also rivaling the deep snows of 3 winters ago.
Ric Werme in Penacook has 6.81" water content in his 33.5" snowpack.
Can we expect big spring floods.. survey says yes!
In January 1996 we had big floods in the middle of winter, this time we are saving it for spring.
For the first time in weeks, a deep snow fell on our ski areasFriday, a widespread 10"+. But even in southern areas where we hit 55with 2" of flooding rain, and 55 mph gusts during that storm, we hadsnow 4 of the last 7 days. Today in Boston Metro North 7" of snow thismorning was above and beyond the call of the forecast, but the realmystery is the temperature. We know evaporation cooling brings thetemperature and dew point together when precipitation begins. So when Idrove through moderate snow for an hour to NECN at 4:30 am, with 2" ofnew snow and a temperature and dew point near 32, it seemed logical toforecast highs of 35. Sure enough we went to 35 by 10 AM, but then Iwatched with amazement as the temperature fell to 27 60 minutes later.Even more peculiar is the air in Maine.
Snow began in Portland at 1:30 AM, when the temperature (T) was 24and the dew point (Td) was 17. In most cases the temperature goes upand the dew point comes down when precipitation begins. Not this time.By 7 AM the Portland T dropped to 15, Td to 11. We had very cold airin northern Maine yesterday, Frenchville only hit 7 yesterday anddropped to -9 this morning. So, as I write the logic appears, the weaklow south of Block Island must of intensified a bit as it passed eastof Nantucket by noon. A Backdoor front appears to have formed and movedsouth to Rhode Island this morning. That cold was effective in wringout that moisture, also explaining the over achieving snowfall, andnortherly gusts to 35 mph that developed out of no where at the beachmidday today.The entire time this happened, the wind on MountWashington was from the south! (great overrunning). Now what do we dowith all this cold as the old California (snow in San Francisco &Tucson, record cold in the desert) Low comes Screaming out of thesouthwest in a hand off to the Northern Stream and crosses New EnglandMonday? Another 'Kitchen Sink' storm for us Monday.
The barometer is actually rising tonight. That is heavy cold air settling south in New England. Tornados are breaking out from Oklahoma to Kentucky, setting the stage for a clash of air masses. That warm enrgy will plow into our cold Monday. We have winter weather advisories for freezing rain and sleet inland, and snow in Northern Maine. Also a flood watch in southern New England for 1"+ rainfall in the same place we 2"Friday. Dense fog will be another ingredient to slow us on the roads and at the airports Monday. Temps will jump to near 70 in New York City and parts of southern New England. The we get a cold front at Night with another rapid temperature fall, and a flash freeze possible.
Tuesday is sunny and cold.
Warmer Wednesday, with an afternoon squall and more new cold Thursday. Friday we have the highest Barometer in years ~1040 millibars. Then another weekend storm with rain changing to snow Saturday into Sunday. After that.. a series of historical cold and series of March Storms wil keep us busy into April. We finally get a snowy (and another rainy) March. This is brief because I am 36 hours into a busy weekend.
A few (more) interesting side notes..
We have 950 Millibar Low on the South Coast of Greenland tonight. The deepest cold and thickest Ice on the Baltic Sea in 35 years has formed.
And Burlington Vermont is closing the books on the snowiest February on record, 42.8" with a day to go, beats 42.3" iin 2008. Also 97.6" of snow since December 1st is second only to 103.4" in 2007/2008.
Joe Cullen in Wilmot NH has about 34" of snow on the ground, also rivaling the deep snows of 3 winters ago.
Ric Werme in Penacook has 6.81" water content in his 33.5" snowpack.
Can we expect big spring floods.. survey says yes!
In January 1996 we had big floods in the middle of winter, this time we are saving it for spring.
Copyright NECNMIGR - NECN
