Welcome to winter!

Monday Midday, Dec 1

Meteorological winter begins today and runs through February.  Today's average high is 50 degrees and it will be 50 or below from now until the last few days in February.  Almost as if "on cue" we've got cold weather and rain and snow showers in the area today.

Actually, the snow's been a disappointment and we're running out of time to see anything of consequence.  Snow showers this afternoon will wind down to flurries by this evening.  None of the snow showers should be big enough to give any accumulations that last more than a few minutes.

The problem discussed in Saturday's blog is what ultimately did in this potential snow.  There was not very much surface cold air available and the system had to generate its own cold air by dynamic cooling aloft.  It did a good job of that - for the Great Lakes area, but never did get the cold air far enough south.  Now that the system is weakening and lifting out to the northeast, it's probably too late.

But, weather patterns look to stay "cold" and active.  Next system appears to be headed toward the great Lakes, so it'll be mostly (maybe entirely) a rain system Wednesday night for us with maybe a few flurries on the end.  And the general trend is expected to keep the east coast trough going for at least 10 days to two weeks.  So, it will remain cold and that should keep hopes up for snow lovers.