Tues. PM
February 2nd, 2012 at 1:11 pm by Bill Steffen under Bill's Blog, Weather
Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning and for the 100th time in 116 years. Phil is predicting 6 more weeks of winter. One year ago today, we were starting to dig out from the famous Groundhog Day Blizzard. The Chicago area got hit hard, so did SE Wisconsin. We’re starting to open up some breaks in the clouds. Check out the visible (daytime) and infrared (nighttime) satellite loops, showing some breaks in the clouds. If we go partly cloudy tonight, watch out for some fog to develop. Bitter cold and heavy snow continues to hit much of Europe. Italy has seen their coldest temperatures in 27 years. Snow has fallen across central and northern Italy, Greece and Turkey. Istanbul has had snowfall seven days in a row, a total of 11″. Moscow’s high of -5F Wednesday was 23 degrees colder than average. Karaganda in Kazakhstan reached -40. That smashed their old record of -26 in 1948. The death toll from the cold has reached 112. Alaska continues to shiver. Noatak was -58 this morning. Nome recorded their coldest January ever, with 21 of 31 days more than 20 degrees below average. Kodiak had their snowiest and 3rd coldest January ever. Bethel AK not only had their coldest January ever, but they broke the old record set 78 years ago by a whopping four degrees! Fairbanks had their coldest month since 1971. McGrath, Alaska had their coldest month ever, a full 21 degrees colder than average. They had ten mornings with temperatures between -50 and -65! Alyeska, Alaska reports 492.6″ of snow since 10/1. This morning, White Cloud reported 3″ of snow on the ground, with 2″ at Baldwin. Houghton Lake and Gaylord reported 10″ of snow on the ground this morning. Here’s snow depths in the U.P. The Snowman cam from Twin Lakes shows a good 2 1/2 feet on the ground. (picture from WPXI).
Of course since winter has not shown up yet.
+1
Sounds good to me! I can handle 6 more weeks of this “winter” we’re having this year!! I think I’ve gotten more accomplished outside this winter than ever before!
Wasn’t it 1997…ish when last had this type of winter with warm temps and small snowpack?
Not very often I get to work on the car outside in 50 degrees and sun in the dead of winter!
try 42 not 50.
Latest GFS model has it in the 20s (cold bias) in Indianapolis on the 12th and the latest Euro has it in the upper 50s at the same place. Thats why these teleconnections here (http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/precip/CWlink/daily_ao_index/teleconnections.shtml) have been so out of wack this winter it has been very hard to forecast past 5-7 days. But I’m going with the milder Euro as it has done the best out of any model out there and still think it will. The GFS past 240hr always goes to the colder side and over amplifies the pattern and thats why it really can’t be trusted. If (you have to pay for the pro Euro model) you look at the euro weeklies, monthlies and the data it shows, it has a very good track record. Not saying winter is done but I’m saying that the real arctic air is done. So if we do get a snowstorm it will end up turning warm a few days after it passes as all the arctic air is on the other side of the globe and these storms can’t reach far enough to crab the arctic to tug down. Will be interesting to see what Bill has to say tonight.
i don’t buy any of those models anymore. people need to accept that there is no changes coming.
Good Day,
No offense to the snow bunnies, but what a wonderful day outside today!
Steelie
they prefer to be called “winter nuts”
groundhogs day mean nothing as winter has never really arrived this season. still not seeing any changes either.
I am very excited for spring!
I still think we have a chance of getting a few surprises yet this winter. But if we dont that will be all the better. Lets just hope its a nice warm spring with no killing frost and then a nice warm summer.
SlimJim
Yet another early March like day today (I have a temp now of 42° and had a high of 44°) I am really enjoying this winter and I would not mind it if ever winter was like this one. (heck we could even have cut down on the snow we did get) Here it is February 2nd and I have only had to use the treadmill a hand full of times, if given a choice I rather walk out side then on the treadmill.
SlimJim
I have a bad feeling that we pay dearly for this nice weather
Agreed i just hope summer doesnt suck as 2009 is in my mind.
Let me describe the winter weather that we are having this week and for that matter all season long! RIDICULOUS, STUPID, WOEFUL, DREADFUL, BAD, DISAPPOINTING, POOR, BORING AND JUST PLAIN HORRIBLE!!!!!!
Bipolar much?
No fixxxer just the facts concerning this winters weather!
RJ, still waiting on all that cold and snow you have been calling for.
What is wrong with Kyle Underwood ? He says tonight,” Finally in the eight day forecast a cool down and some snow”.
…Finally?… Say What?
He been drinking beer with Phil?
This weather is great for January! I’ll take no snow and some chills, but both bite!
It’s February by the way!
Hey Alec it is February. It is winter people and we want SNOW and COLD, not the type of BS weather that we have been seeing this week. Just a horrible winter weather pattern currently!!
I agree, I’m not a wuss, so I welcome Winter every year.
Yupp winter is over Fixxer I am with u on this one!!!! Sorry for trying to keep it going guys it just don’t look good for more snow and cold! Bill u need take your winter thought forcast send it to the moon!! And give us a spring look now!!! BRING ON THUNDER STORMS AROAAAR!!! INDYYY
What? What? Am I reading this right? Indy is giving up on winter? YES! It must really be done then. Sorry Indy, you really crack me up, I’m still looking for your post of major SNOW COMING!!!! I never know when to believe you snows coming or if your just trying to encourage and cheer it on.
Watch winter come in full strength right when Indy gives up on it!
No Nathan! I’m finally encouraged about winter ending if Indy’s giving up on it. Indy this sprite is for you!!!
Wow, I didn’t ever think I’d see Indy type that. Who hacked his account??
U guys are all great and I hope u get ready for INDY’S BIG BOOMS AND LIGHTNING ZOOMS coming to a blogg near u!!! Spring 2012. Sure Has been a fun a done winter with u all!!!! STAY SPRITE A FEEL RIGHT INDYY….
Your ol uncle sparks shot ol pux this mornin. Mmmmm tastey. That critter didn’t have a chance in hell to see his own shadow, and he sure wasn’t gettin back down his burro. He ended up in ol uncle sparks tummy burro.
Ol uncle sparks just regurgitated his ol ground hog and banana Laffy taffy ughhh
That couldn’t have been pleasant!
Bill, why is all of the snow missing us? I dont really like all of the dead grass and trees! And storms always bring up my spirit!
It’s not all missing us. We did have above normal snowfall in January. We’ve been warmer than average. That’s cut down on lake-effect snow and it’s meant that more of our precipitation from synoptic storms has come as rain instead of snow.
It has not just been us. Most of the areas where we see snow and cold have been dry and balmy. Basically if I am right, the snow has been avoiding just about everyone really.
And yes I did mean the mainland U.S. specifically.
Bill, you sounded “stuffed up” during the broadcast…did you get the “Orlando bug”?? while down south..
Yes, I have a bit of a cold. It might have been swimming in the pool Friday evening…the water was about 77 and the air was 67 – pretty cool for an old guy. Also, at Disney you are constantly holding onto railings that thousands of people touch every day. I’ve had worse colds. There is so much to do here (TV, radio, internet updates, phone, newspapers, the blog). It puts a lot of extra work on one of the other meteorologists when someone is sick.
I once went 14 1/2 years without taking a sick day. I guess I have good genes. My parents hardly ever got sick. My father lived to five days short of 91 and my mother is 92 now and going strong. Her father lived to be 98 (and he smoked cigars and a pipe – had a cup of coffee every morning and an occasional glass of beer or wine). All of them had pleasant dispositions. I hardly ever saw any of them get mad. They had survived the depression and WWII and felt that each day that had was a gift.
Who needs sick days when you have sooooo many vacations!
I get 5 weeks vacation. I also have to work many weekends and holidays. I worked Christmas Day, the holiday on the 26th, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and the holiday on Jan. 2. I worked last Saturday and Sunday. Even when I’m not working, I’m updating the blog and answering email from home. I work a lot of hours, some by my own choice. There are a lot of government employees that are retired with a defined pension at my age. I choose to do this. It’s fun. I’m glad the station keeps me around!
Random, but check out this Michigan shirt I found: I survived the blizzard of ’78 ha
http://themittenstate.com/Unisex-Great-Blizzard-of-78-Shirt.html
Just moved back home to GR from Colorado a few months ago – wishing I was out there tonight – they are getting some major flakes out there. Never figured I would move back here to Grand Rapids and get the kind of warm days that you get in Colorado between snows.
Bill, do you think that we will see an active storm season this time around?
Just when you think you have a goooooood bead on forecasting La this and EL that Mother Nature has a Period and the rest is history. Back to the Future movie I think was no. 2 said ” To bad the Post office isnt half as reliable as the Weather Men”.