Good Thursday, everyone. To say we are in a brutal weather pattern would be an understatement. This has the potential to go down as one of the coldest stretches on record across our region. The next week to 10 days may cause a lot of hardship in our region. This is some scary cold, folks.

Let’s start with what we have out there today and that’s some nasty cold. A band of snow moves through early in the day as another shot of arctic air sinks in. Temps may not get out of the single digits for some areas this afternoon. Gusty winds will make it feel from -5 to -15.

Lows by Friday morning will drop to 5 above to 5 below. Winds and clouds will begin to increase by the end of the day ahead of our next snow maker. This potent system will zip in here Friday night and Saturday with snow becoming likely. Check out the NAM…

NAM model

Accumulations are likely across the state with the highest totals in the central and east. Here’s a VERY early first call map…

snowfall

Winds may gust to 40 mph at times on Saturday and that will create blowing snow and hazardous travel. Saturday looks ugly.

Sunday starts in the single digits and ends with temps running toward freezing on a gusty wind ahead of our next arctic front. This front plows in here Sunday night with a band of snow.


Temps behind this will drop like a rock. We’re likely to fall into the single digits by late Monday afternoon and may go below zero before the evening is finished. Temps by Tuesday morning may go well below zero. Here’s the GFS for that time…

GFS temp map

Next week as a whole looks scary cold. Daily highs in the single digits with mornings below 0 are very, very possible. A prolonged period of this kind of cold can cause serious problems here.

I am traveling today and may not get to update the blog until late tonight. Follow me on twitter for my latest thoughts. Take care.