Brief Arctic Air in a Mild February
This February makes the 8th consecutive month with temps above normal. Including today we have had only 2 days average below normal. Another mild week is expected and the Climate prediction center is predicting the mild trend to continue through the 25th of Feb in their 8-14 day forecast. In other words...same old same old around here.
The storm which was to far offshore to provide any big snow accumulations Saturday is now rapidly deepening as it pulls away into the Canadian maritimes. What a weird storm that was...more like a spring storm with snow falling but not accumulating on the warm ground. This storm is wrapping in colder air on the back side with gusty NW winds this morning.
In fact much of the nation has cooled down thanks to a deep trough on the east coast. These winds will sometimes gust over 30 mph today and make for bitter wind chills. This morning wind chills are in the single digits. They will climb into the teens this afternoon. Sunny skies this morning will give way to partly sunny skies this afternoon. Highs will climb into the mid 20's, a few upper 20's at the south coast. A good day to dress warm if outside for any time.
One of the coldest air masses of the season will be in place tonight with clearing skies and diminishing winds. Lows will be falling back into the single digits and teens, but any motion in the air will make it feel much colder. Sub-zero wind chills are likely in the NW hillier terrain.
A weak warm front approaches Monday with winds shifting to the west. After a cold start, temps will end the day in the mid 30's. The warming trend will continues for the rest of the week with a persistent SW flow with high pressure pulling off the coast. Temps will be able to climb back into the mid 40's. A weak short wave will try to push through late Tuesday...likley providing a period of clouds/ sprinkle of flurry. Any precipitation will be extremely light and will likely not hold together.
We will have to track another more substantial low which will track into the northeast sometime late Thursday and early Friday. There will be a lack of cold air, but it's arrival at the coldest part of the day could mean a few inches of snow, especially across the north...mixing with rain south. An early estimate. Dry weather will return for next weekend with more seasonal air. No signs of much Arctic air likely for the rest of the month.
