Good Tuesday, everyone. Coming off a very cold November, our below normal numbers continue here into the first week of December. This week will also feature a couple of weak systems, before a much stronger setup rolls in here early next week. There is now an increased push for bitterly cold air to engulf the country on several models at the same time.
Highs today won’t get out of the 30s for many in central and eastern Kentucky. Most folks forget that normal highs this time of year are still in the upper 40s to around 50.
Gusty winds will make it feel like the 20s for much of the day and a few snow showers and flurries will still be around in the east early on. There’s a very weak system dropping in from the northwest later today, but this looks mainly dry. That said, there’s an outside chance for a brief rain or snow shower late today.
Here’s regional radar to keep you company…
Our next system arrives Thursday night and Friday and is a chilly, light shower maker…
That’s a nice shot of cold coming in behind that for Friday night and Saturday.
That brings us to early next week and a setup that’s getting more and more interesting. The models are now really keying on a severe arctic air outbreak heading into the United States. If the models are correct, you will start hearing the term Polar Vortex being thrown around. Here’s why…
That’s some major blocking forcing that lobe of the PV to drop into southern Canada and the northern part of the country. Record early season cold could be noted across parts of the country if that verifies.
Around here, the introduction to this comes in the form of a cold front with plenty of heavy rain on Monday. That front may slow down with waves of low pressure along it or, if the PV is really flexing muscle, push through with a true arctic surge with snow behind it.
That’s what the GFS is suggesting…
The EURO isn’t too dissimilar, but is slower with the first front and that allows the arctic air to overspread more east to west. In turn, this could keep snowmakers traversing the southern edge of this. I’ve got the big view of the Euro to give you the full scene…
I will update things later on, so check back. Until then, have a good one and take care.
As always, we shall see!
Kill out the excessive green on them there models and put more blue on them, then we will talk LOL.
Well, I already have almost 1 inch of rain and a 1/4 inch of snow for the first 2 days of December….let’s try to reverse this ratio as I dont want another 25 inch seasonal rainfall: 2 inches of snow like I did in Dec-Feb of last year!!
Terry, I appreciate you posting the weather around Harlan. I find it interesting the way the mountains affect your local climate. It is much different here in central Kentucky with just the hills and forest.
Here’s an article on the Winter of 1917-18 in Kentucky. I don’t want any of this. If we only had a weak El nino I think we would have training snowstorms with the upper levels being colder. https://www.weather.gov/lmk/december_1917_january_1918
https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evolution-status-fcsts-web.pdf
I am actually fine with neutral ENSO myself. A very weak El Nino is a plus but neutral is pretty favorable for some decent winters in KY and Ohio River states if you look back in history, not every year but a lot of them. It is other factors like extreme warmth in the arctic that is messing with us.
Guess you could argue it’s a weak EL NINO.Nino region 3.4 should be around 27.25 for the month of November at the next update.CPC uses 26.75 for their base.Close either way.
Which El nino produces training snowstorms in central Kentucky narrowing it down ?
Cold rain and back side flurry train until the end of December. It’s typical late autumn weather.
Yes, I love hearing Polar Vortex and heavy rain!!!
Looks like rain chasing cold to me. Hopefully I’m wrong.
Meteorological Winter starts on December first and climaxes on the December twenty first and the days get longer thereafter and continue into January and February. Here in the Ohio Valley sometimes Winter weather can linger into the Spring months and delay or destroy the growing season ahead. Basic meteorology 101.
If we are going to get winter I want it early. And when March and April get here I’m ready for warm weather. I use to love winter time but I really like 75 to 85 degrees with a breeze anymore. You can do so much more in the summer without having a coat on.
You know Bus, I think I would like 75-80 degrees for highs and you could grow nursery stock plants year round. The older I get the harder it is to stay warm. I’m really getting tried of the cold and gloom. I think it’s the light declining making me depress at this time of the year.
December 21st/22nd is the winter solstice. Meteorological winter peaks in mid January, which is also when Kentucky gets it’s coldest weather. You obviously didn’t pay attention in basic meteorology 101.
Oh, yes I did Linus in fact I got an (A) LOL
Linus, you are absolutely right. I just have a different way at looking at seasonal changes.
I know it’s just a model, but I’m curious to see future runs of the Euro because there’s some snow in the plains on that last frame. It will be interesting to see what the end of next week may have in store.
In central Kentucky they are predicting heavy rains and cold temperatures and ending with snow flurries. Just like last weekend. UGH !
Everyone ready for another ride on the rain train this winter? Can we make it 4 straight winters? Looks like it but it is early.