Big snowstorms… bitterly cold temperatures… iced-over lakes and ponds… all words and phrases that we sometimes use to talk about our winter here in KC, but these words and phrases have been pretty empty this year in the region.
Sure, we had some cold days, and that 4-5 spell of really cold weather near Christmas was very strong, but really, it seems most other days have been mild to warm.
It’s becoming harder and hard locally to get several days in a row of cold weather and the snow threats are so far and few between that for a snow lover… we’re starting to say bring on spring at this point.
It seems these types of winters are becoming more and more common. Cold air that can’t lock in… cold air that comes and goes within days… snows storms that never quite hit us (sure last February we had a nice one but it was fleeting).
For a snow lover, it’s been a tough decade so far for winters. For those that don’t like winter, this has been more you’re cup of tea.
I know you’ll be shocked by this but overall the pattern remains rather mild with a day here or there of colder weather followed by a rapid warm-up… not sure when, at this point that will change.
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Forecast
Today: Mostly sunny and mild. Highs near 60°
Tonight: Fair and cool with lows near 32°
Tomorrow: About the same with highs well into the 50s. Breezy in the afternoon
Wednesday: Warmer with higher rain chances with highs into the 60s
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Discussion
It’s not like there is a drought or anything at this point in the region…that has been vanquished by the systems we’ve seen over the past few months…it’d be one thing to still be in our drought…and that could explain the lack of winter storms locally…but that’s not it.
It’s not as if there hasn’t been snow this winter in other areas…there has been…and a lot.
Take a look a the seasonal snows…and granted this isn’t perfect but its close.
Once south of I-80 it’s been a struggle. This week there is going to be another big snowmaker up there too…
On the far southern side of this…closer to I-80 in IA/IL into southern MI…ice may be a big problem Wednesday into Thursday
Down there though…rain…maybe some rumbles and warm conditions.
This February…like last month…mild. Through yesterday were running almost 5° above average. January was over 7° above average. December ended up exactly at average and if it wasn’t for those 4 days near Christmas of bitterly cold weather…which got balanced out by the last 4 days of the month of really mild weather…it too would’ve been above average as well.
Since the year started this is where we area compared to average…
Notice there are pockets in there of +9° compared to average…folks back east are likely to break records for their warmest winter on record.
Here in the Plains…even with the snows up north…mild mostly
There have bee extremes…but it shows you that in between the extremes it’s been pretty mild in many areas.
The exception to this since January 1st is out west
and if you wanted to go back to around Thanksgiving through yesterday…nationwide here is where we area.
In terms of rankings…well all the red numbers in the eastern 1/3 of the country are very numerous…indicating warm warm warm. Top 10s in warmest show up in reds…and the darkest of reds are the warmest on record
A winter lover can’t be happy here or elsewhere.
How are the temperatures going to average over the next 5 days…
The Plains are the battlefield. The deep south and east are likely to set records
How about the 5 days after that…
As mentioned the Plains are a battlefield with a storm…and a potent one forecast to affect the region on Wednesday. Cold air will dump into the northern Plains…while warm gulf air is transported northwards.
Records highs on one side of the maps with record cold highs on the others (look for the squared numbers)
All connected to a combination of an upper level system off southern CA and a dumping of energy into the Pacific NW that will propel and kick out the upper level storm towards the Plains to interact with the two air masses…one dropping southwards (the cold air) the other pumping northwards (the Gulf warmth and moisture).
It’s a volatile pattern and one that is more extreme because of the temperature contrasts from the western US to the eastern US.
Alas though for us this is just going to be a rain event…not a ton on Wednesday…and then a switcheroo for temperatures from very mild on Wednesday to much colder on Thursday and Friday afternoons. No records for us…the record on Wednesday is 79° set back in 2017
We’ll dive in more on the storm in tomorrows blog
The feature photo is from Taylor
Joe
