Record Cold West, Record Warmth East

Low temperature records were set from Oregon and Utah south through southern California the past two days, while in the eastern U.S. record high temperatures were recorded in the southeast and mid-Atlantic.

Surface temperatures at 3:00 p.m EST January 14 (left), and at 7:00 a.m. PST January 15 (right).

The reason for this was a very amplified upper air pattern, with a ridge in the Pacific and a ridge in the Atlantic, with a broad and deep trough in between.

500 millibar map for January 14, 2013

In the west, strong northerly winds aloft brought air south from the Yukon and Northwest Territories. In the east, air was being drawn from the Pacific through Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico.

There were numerous record lows in the west the last two mornings.

LOCATION COUNTY RECORD PREVIOUS YEAR  Period of ARIZONA      Record WILLIAMS COCONINO                       -6 -5 1898 105 SHOW LOW AP NAVAJO                         0 0 1968 45 PARADISE COCHISE                        6 13 1922 31 PAYSON GILA                           8 8 1964 62 WILLCOX COCHISE                        9 9 1963 105 SAN SIMON COCHISE                        9 12 1944 54 BAGDAD YAVAPAI                        11 12 2007 73 DOUGLAS BISBEE INTL AP COCHISE                        11 11 1964 67 NATURAL BRG GILA                           11 11 1964 64 FT THOMAS 2 SW GRAHAM                         11 15 1992 42 AGUILA MARICOPA                       14 15 1964 60 TUZIGOOT YAVAPAI                        15 16 2007 35 SASABE PIMA                           15 19 1963 46 WIKIEUP MOHAVE                         17 19 1964 50 WITTMANN 4SW MARICOPA                       18 20 1963 34 TUCSON INTL AP PIMA                           21 23 1963 68 FOUNTAIN HILLS MARICOPA                       23 31 1992 30 CALIFORNIA BODIE CA ST HISTORIC PARK MONO                           -27 -26 2007 58 JESS VALLEY MODOC                          -13 -5 1962 62 SOUTH LAKE TAHOE AP EL DORADO                      -11 -7 1997 43 TULELAKE SISKIYOU                       -5 -4 1962 76 MC CLOUD SISKIYOU                       5 7 1932 96 SANDBERG LOS ANGELES   15 20 2007 64 DAGGETT AP SAN BERNARDINO  16 16 1963 64 MT WILSON CBS LOS ANGELES  16 18 1962 59 CACHUMA LAKE SANTA BARBARA 21 25 1955 55 BORREGO DESERT PARK SAN DIEGO                      27 28 2007 45 LOS ANGELES DWTN USC LOS ANGELES 34 36 2007 99 IDAHO STANLEY CUSTER                         -32 -30 1923 51 GRACE CARIBOU                        -24 -20 2007 101 MAY 2SSE LEMHI                          -20 -15 1960 65 CHILLY BARTON FLAT CUSTER                         -20 -20 1964 62 IDAHO FALLS FAA AP                                -19 -17 1964 53 MACKAY LOST RIVER RS CUSTER                         -18 -18 1932 101 CRATERS OF THE MOON BUTTE                          -15 -9 2007 52 PALISADES BONNEVILLE                     -14 -12 1962 51 PRESTON FRANKLIN                       -14 -10 1985 37 PAUL 1ENE MINIDOKA                       -13 -4 1985 73 IDAHO CITY BOISE                          -13 -11 1930 100 MIDDLE FORK LODGE CUSTER                         -8 -8 2007 41 NAMPA SUGAR FACTORY CANYON                         2 3 1986 31 NEW MEXICO NAVAJO DAM SAN JUAN                       1 2 1975 46 GRAN QUIVIRA NATL MON SOCORRO                        2 2 1964 76 COCHITI DAM SANDOVAL                       3 5 1977 32 GLENWOOD CATRON                         7 9 1964 60 HACHITA GRANT                          9 9 1989 84 NEVADA MONTELLO 2NE ELKO                           -27 -14 1932 99 ELY AIRPORT WHITE PINE                     -24 -17 2007 81 RUTH WHITE PINE                     -24 -19 2007 44 BEOWAWE EUREKA                         -21 -20 1962 94 MCGILL WHITE PINE                     -20 -13 2007 104 RUBY LAKE NWR ELKO                           -17 -8 1964 70 BLUE EGLE CURRANT12SSW NYE                            -15 -13 1985 30 OROVADA 3 W HUMBOLDT                       -14 -14 1917 96 LOVELOCK DERBY FLD AP PERSHING                       -12 -9 1962 60 SUNNYSIDE - LUND 31S NYE                            -7 -7 1989 47 DENIO HUMBOLDT                       -3 3 2005 54 TONOPAH NYE                            -3 8 1932 31 PIOCHE LINCOLN                        1 2 1997 78 AMARGOSA FARMS-GAREY NYE                            14 17 1989 36 SEARCHLIGHT CLARK                          15 19 2007 94 OREGON BURNS MUNI AP HARNEY                         -11 -4 1989 40 HART MTN REFUGE LAKE                           -10 -3 1962 66 HOWARD PRAIRIE DAM JACKSON                        -6 2 1962 51 LONG CREEK GRANT                          2 2 1997 50 MONUMENT 2 GRANT                          5 8 1997 41 MARION FRKS FISH HATCH LINN                           7 8 2007 63 TOKETEE FALLS DOUGLAS                        15 16 2007 57 IDLEYLD PARK 4 NE DOUGLAS                        18 19 1997 52 UTAH BRYCE CANYON FAA AP                                -30 -13 2007 42 TRENTON CACHE                          -27 -14 1985 34 EPHRAIM SANPETE                        -26 -21 2007 58 PINE VIEW DAM WEBER                          -22 -22 1964 69 SCIPIO MILLARD                        -22 -21 2007 107 NEOLA DUCHESNE                       -19 -16 2007 49 DEER CREEK DAM WASATCH                        -17 -15 1955 73 HEBER WASATCH                        -16 -16 1964 118 VERNON TOOELE                         -16 -7 1964 45 SANTAQUIN CHLORINATOR UTAH                           -12 -9 2007 92 KANOSH MILLARD                        -7 2 1964 42 HANS FLAT RS WAYNE                          -4 2 1989 32 ARCHES NP HQS GRAND                          -4 -3 1989 32 BOUNTIFUL-VAL VERDA DAVIS                          -3 2 2007 32 NATURAL BRIDGES NM SAN JUAN                       -3 0 2011 45 CEDAR POINT SAN JUAN                       -3 0 1989 50 WENDOVER AP AWOS TOOELE                         -2 0 2007 99 CANYONLANDS-THE NECK SAN JUAN                       -1 2 1989 45 CAPITOL REEF NP WAYNE                          0 2 1989 45 BULLFROG BASIN KANE                           9 11 1968 35

Record maximum temperatures were concentrated in the the southeastern U.S. on Monday, but were recorded as far north as Maine and New Hampshire, including a record tied at Mt. Washington.

LOCATION	COUNTY	REC	PREV	YEAR	POR
ALABAMA
DOTHAN FAA AP	HOUSTON	79	79	1947	70
GENEVA #2	GENEVA	78	76	2007	36
CENTREVILLE 6 SW	BIBB	73	71	2007	38
OPELIKA	LEE	72	72	2000	52
ARKANSAS
WEST MEMPHIS	CRITTENDEN	70	67	1995	46
FLORIDA
CLERMONT 9 S	LAKE	83	83	2005	61
INVERNESS 3 SE	CITRUS	83	83	1992	88
MAYO	LAFAYETTE	82	82	1950	61
GAINESVILLE RGNL AP	ALACHUA	82	81	1999	50
JACKSONVILLE INTL AP	DUVAL	81	80	1950	65
TALLAHASSEE WSO AP	LEON	81	80	1971	67
JASPER	HAMILTON	81	81	1972	58
FERNANDINA BEACH	NASSAU	80	80	1972	111
PERRY	TAYLOR	79	77	2007	69
QUINCY 3 SSW	GADSDEN	78	78	1989	39
GEORGIA
SAVANNAH INTL AP	CHATHAM	81	78	2007	68
ALMA BACON CO AP	BACON	80	79	2007	64
MILLEDGEVILLE	BALDWIN	80	76	1937	112
AUGUSTA BUSH FLD AP	RICHMOND	80	73	2007	68
HOMERVILLE 5 N	CLINCH	79	79	1960	55
ALBANY CAA AP		79	79	2007	37
COLUMBUS METO AP.	MUSCOGEE	78	75	1960	65
PLAINS SW GA EXP STN	SUMTER	77	77	1960	56
ASHBURN 3 ENE	TURNER	77	77	1960	51
SAPELO ISLAND	MCINTOSH	77	77	2000	46
SANDERSVILLE	WASHINGTON	76	76	1960	52
CARTERSVILLE	BARTOW	75	71	1960	66
SILOAM 3N	GREENE	75	73	2000	52
ATHENS BEN EPPS AP	CLARKE	74	71	2007	68
LA GRANGE 1N	TROUP	74	73	1937	71
ALLATOONA DAM 2	BARTOW	74	72	1995	48
LOUISIANA
CLINTON 5 SE	EAST FELICIANA	79	77	2000	34
MARYLAND
FROSTBURG 2	ALLEGANY	62	62	2005	40
MAINE
AUGUSTA STATE AIRPORT	KENNEBEC	55	54	2006	64
CARIBOU WFO	AROOSTOOK	52	51	2005	72
MISSISSIPPI
YAZOO CITY 5 NNE	YAZOO	81	77	2007	52
WAYNESBORO 2 W	WAYNE	79	78	1971	90
FULTON 3 W	ITAWAMBA	72	72	2007	54
NORTH CAROLINA
ELIZABETH CITY FAA AP		79	74	1952	42
NEW BERN - ASOS	CRAVEN	79	74	2007	64
GREENVILLE	PITT	78	78	1932	84
WILMINGTON INTL AP	NEW HANOVER	77	75	1950	80
PLYMOUTH 5 E	WASHINGTON	76	76	2005	65
LEWISTON	BERTIE	75	75	1995	51
LONGWOOD	BRUNSWICK	75	75	2005	38
CONCORD	CABARRUS	74	74	2005	77
BURLINGTON FIRE STN #5	ALAMANCE	74	74	2005	59
ROXBORO 7 ESE	PERSON	74	72	1960	62
SILER CITY 2 N	CHATHAM	74	74	2005	81
REIDSVILLE 2 NW	ROCKINGHAM	73	71	2005	49
PISGAH FOREST 3 NE	TRANSYLVANIA	72	68	2005	71
YADKINVILLE 6 E	YADKIN	71	70	2005	55
ENKA	BUNCOMBE	71	70	2007	41
NORTH WILKESBORO	WILKES	71	70	2005	55
FRANKLIN	MACON	70	68	1952	64
W KERR SCOTT RSVR	WILKES	70	69	2005	47
MURPHY	CHEROKEE	68	68	2005	44
JEFFERSON 2 E	ASHE	67	63	2007	82
TRANSOU	ASHE	63	63	2007	65
BOONE 1 SE	WATAUGA	62	62	2007	31
GRANDFATHER MTN	AVERY	57	54	2007	55
GREENLAND	ROCKINGHAM	60	60	2005	37
NEW HAMPSHIRE
LEBANON CAA AP	GRAFTON	55	51	2006	46
MT WASHINGTON	COOS	43	43	2005	64
NEW YORK
AVON	LIVINGSTON	68	64	1995	83
DANSVILLE	LIVINGSTON	67	66	1995	86
WARSAW 6 SW	WYOMING	64	57	2006	59
PENNSYLVANIA
RIDGWAY	ELK	69	67	1972	98
MONTGOMERY L&D	BEAVER	68	66	1995	49
TIONESTA 2 SE LAKE	FOREST	68	68	2005	67
CHALK HILL 2 ENE	FAYETTE	64	62	1995	35
BRADFORD 4SW RES 5	MCKEAN	63	60	2006	65
SOUTH CAROLINA
COLUMBIA UNIV OF SC	RICHLAND	82	80	1932	80
COLUMBIA METRO AP	LEXINGTON	81	73	2005	68
DILLON	DILLON	81	81	1907	81
SUMMERVILLE 4W	DORCHESTER	80	80	1907	111
FLORENCE RGNL AP	FLORENCE	79	75	1995	65
CHARLESTON INTL. AIRPORT	CHARLESTON	79	78	1932	83
JOHNSTON 4 SW	EDGEFIELD	78	73	2000	54
BISHOPVILLE 1ENE	LEE	77	77	2005	71
SANDHILL RSCH ELGIN	RICHLAND	77	72	1995	51
MCCOLL 3 NNW	MARLBORO	77	75	1937	75
BAMBERG	BAMBERG	76	72	2005	58
ANDREWS	GEORGETOWN	76	75	2005	42
PELION 4 NW	LEXINGTON	76	72	2005	50
LAURENS	LAURENS	75	75	1937	94
MANNING	CLARENDON	75	75	2007	38
NINETY NINE ISLANDS	CHEROKEE	73	71	2005	50
TENNESSEE
ERWIN 1 W	UNICOI	74	71	2005	33
KNOXVILLE EXP STN	KNOX	71	71	1995	32
ATHENS	MCMINN	70	70	2005	48
VIRGINIA
SOUTH BOSTON	HALIFAX	73	73	2005	31
MARTINSVILLE FLTR PLT	HENRY	72	70	2007	64
PULASKI 2 E	PULASKI	71	63	2007	56
APPOMATTOX	APPOMATTOX	70	69	1995	46
STAFFORDSVILLE 3 ENE	GILES	70	65	2005	42
WYTHEVILLE 1 S	WYTHE	70	70	1932	94
BLACKSBURG NWSO	MONTGOMERY	69	65	1960	58
WEST VIRGINIA
SNOWSHOE	POCAHONTAS	54	52	2005	36

Big Snow in Big Bend

An upper level low pressure trough produced winter weather over a portion of Texas that doesn't see snow very often. Last night Winter Storm Warnings were in effect in the Big Bend area of Texas for heavy snow in areas west of the Pecos River, and a wider area was under Winter Weather Advisories.

The storm delivered as promised. Eight to ten inches of snow was measured in the higher elevations of southwest Texas. Many other locations from El Paso to San Angelo set daily snowfall records. Granted, many of the daily snowfall records for that part of Texas are in the one to two inch range and a number of them date back 40 to 60 years. Four to five inches of snow fell in the San Angelo area, and observers in El Paso measured 2 to 4 inches of snow. The official snow fall in San Angelo was 2.8 inches, breaking the old record of 0.4 inches in 1972.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
200 PM CST FRI JAN 4 2013 /100 PM MST FRI JAN 4 2013/

...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SNOWFALL REPORTS FROM LOCAL OBSERVERS AS OF 2 PM CST FRIDAY...

INCHES       LOCATION       COUNTY     STATE
--------------------------------------------
0.50         SNYDER         SCURRY      TX
1.00         MONAHANS       WARD        TX
3.00         ARTESIA        EDDY        NM
6.50         BIG LAKE       REAGAN      TX
2.00         SEMINOLE       GAINES      TX
3.00         ALPINE         BREWSTER    TX
4.00         MARFA          PRESIDIO    TX
4.00         RANKIN         UPTON       TX
4.50         VAN HORN       CULBERSON   TX
6.00         SANDERSON      TERRELL     TX
6.00         FORT STOCKTON  PECOS       TX
5.50         CARLSBAD       EDDY        NM
10.0         TERLINGUA      BREWSTER    TX
3.00         EUNICE         LEA         NM
1.00         TATUM          LEA         NM
4.00         LOVING         LEA         NM
4.00         JAL            LEA         NM
10.0         FORT DAVIS     JEFF DAVIS  TX

Other daily snowfall records were Abilene with one inch of snow, tying the record set in 1958; Dalhart. also with one inch of snow tying the record set in 1957; and a trace in Austin Camp Mabry, tying the record set in 1972. The official snowfall amount in El Paso was 2.9 inches. also a new record for the date. While El Paso has an average annual snowfall of only 6.6 inches, it has experienced some big snows. On December 13-14, 1987 a whopping 22.4 inches of snow fell, with 16.8 inches of that in a 24-hour period.

Snow Blankets More than Half of U.S.

As of today snow covers about 66 percent of the lower 48 states according to analyses from NOAA's National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center.  A year ago approximately only 19 percent of the U.S. had snow cover. Snowfall has been plentiful in the Cascade  and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges because of the Pacific storms that have rolled through the last few weeks. Winter snowpack is crucial to water supplies in the western U.S.

Thanks to the storms just prior to and after Christmas, snow cover extends from the Ozarks to south of the Ohio river. However, there is an area from Oklahoma, Missouri and through central and northern Illinois into southwestern Michigan that has little snow on the ground. The recent storms have followed a southerly track and there was a sharp cutoff on the northern end of the snowfall area with the storms.

Snow depth reported by U.S. Cooperative weather stations for January 2, 2013.

Chicago has has only received 0.9 inch of snow so far this season. This is the fourth latest that Chicago has made it into the season without having even picked up an inch total of snowfall.In contrast, December 2012 was the seventh snowiest on record in Indianapolis with a total of 14.8 inches of snow.  The Christmas Day storm dumped 17.5 inches on Perry, Arkansas, and 10.3 inches on Little Rock (9.0 inches on December 25, a new record for Christmas Day). As of this morning, though, there is no snow on the ground in Little Rock and only a trace in Perry. 

A Cold, Stormy End to the Year?

Surface map at 6:00 p.m. CST December 20

The intense low that brought blizzard conditions to parts of the central U.S. and severe thunderstorms and tornadoes to the south is moving through the Great Lakes tonight. The footprint of this winter storm covers the entire country east of the Mississippi River tonight.  Does this storm mark the start of a change in the winter weather pattern? It very well might.

The medium range models are still indicating a change in the upper level pattern in the next week to ten days along the lines of that shown in my December 17th post. The cold air is still bottled up in Alaska and northwest Canada. Fairbanks, for example, just experienced its sixth day in a row with lows -40F or lower and the warmest highs just reaching -19F. It appears that this cold air may be dislodged in the next week or so as an upper level  ridge builds in the eastern Pacific and a trough develops across the U.S.  Both the 6 to 10-day and 8 to 14-day outlooks issued today by the NWS Climate Prediction Center are indicating a higher probability for below normal temperatures across much of the country.

In addition, a series of low pressure systems moving across the U.S. in the next 10 days will likely produce precipitation in the Great Basin and/or the eastern half of the country.

Bizzard Warnings from Colorado to Wisconsin

Surface map for 10:00 am EST December 19, 2012

A potent winter storm is spinning up over southern Colorado and northern New Mexico, and the probabilities for high sustained winds and snow have prompted blizzard warnings for an area extending from northeastern Colorado all the way to southern Wisconsin. Winds from 25-40 mph with gusts from 50 to 55 are expected with this storm in the warned area, beginning this afternoon in Colorado and well into Thursday for Iowa and Wisconsin.

NWS Watch/Warning map for 1:26 pm EST December 19
. Counties in orange are under a Blizzard Warning.

Snowfall north and west of the storm center track will be heavy, with  9 to 12 inches or more of snow expected from southwestern Iowa into southwest Wisconsin. Model runs from this morning are indicating the as much as 18 inches of snow could fall in this band.

Probability of at least 12 inches of snow in the 24 hour period ending  6:00 am CST December 20

Forecast snowfall totals by this morning's run of the GFS model.
Image courtesy of Harris WeatherCaster.

This is a dangerous storm, and everyone in the warned areas should take it very seriously. The combination of wind, snow, and low wind chill values will create life-threatening conditions for anyone caught outside. Even where snowfall amounts are expected to be only a few inches the winds will cause very hazardous travel conditions.

Be sure to check your local National Weather Service web site for the latest updates and information on this storm and its impacts on your area. The next round of forecast updates will be done mid to late afternoon.

Major Winter Storm on the Way

Residents from the Colorado Rockies to the Great Lakes are bracing for a major winter storm Wednesday and Thursday, while the Pacific Northwest gets a breather between storms today.

Yesterday the large upper trough along the Pacific coast produced more wind, rain and snow in the Pacific Northwest. Winds gusted to more than 80 miles per hour along the coast, and there were blizzard conditions in the mountains where snowfall in the Washington and Oregon Cascades totaled from one to three feet.

CoCoRaHs snowfall map for Washington for December 18, 2012

 

Forecast surface map for 7:00 EST December 19

This large trough will continue to progress east tonight and tomorrow. By Wednesday morning a surface low associated with that trough will be organizing over Colorado. The surface low is expected to move to northern Oklahoma by Wednesday evening, to central Illinois by Thursday morning, and then to southwestern Michigan by Thursday evening. It will be rapidly intensifying during the day on Thursday and along with the snow will be high winds.

 In the mountains of northwest Colorado up to 20 inches of snow is expected, and to the east significant snowfall is expected from Nebraska to the upper Great Lakes. Another system moving in from the Pacific will being more heavy snow to the Pacific Northwest.

Probability of 4 or more inches of snow for the period from Wednesday evening
to Thursday evening (left), and from Thursday evening to Friday evening (right).

As you might expect, a variety of winter advisories, watches, and warnings are in effect from the Rockies to the Great Lakes.

Watch/warning map valid as of 4:45 pm EST December 18.
Orange is a Blizzard Warning. Pink is a Winter Storm Warning.
Blue area surrounding pink is a Winter Storm Watch.

This is a great time for CoCoRaHs observers in the Plains and Midwest to review snow measurement procedures. Check out the snow measurement videos on CoCoRaHS YouTube channel, and/or the "In Depth" Snow Measurement training slide show on the CoCoRaHS web site.

"It'll be a cold day in..."

Temperature map for 2:00 p.m. EST December 17, 2012

...interior Alaska, for one. The lower 48 has enjoyed a relatively balmy December so far, and many are probably wondering where the cold air has been.  Yesterday the high in Fairbanks was -37°F after a morning low of -47°F with about 20 inches of snow on the ground.  Temperatures in interior Alaska for the last couple days have ranged from lows of -50°F to highs of only -45°F! 






So far this winter the cold air has been bottled up in Alaska, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories of Canada, and the entire lower 48 has experienced very mild December weather. 

 The reason for this is that the upper level wind patterns have been generally zonal this month, that is, the winds have been flowing west to east without many undulations north or south. The map below is the average 500 millibar pattern (about 18,000 to 20,000 feet high) for the first 16 days of December. The winds flow along the lines on the map.

Mean 500 mb heights for December 1-16

As you can see, in general the source of air for much of the U.S. has been the Pacific, not the Arctic, and thus the mild weather so far this month.

Will the cold break loose, and when?  The medium range models have been hinting at a change in the next 10 to 14 days.  There are indicating a ridge developing in the eastern Pacific and deep trough to develop over central Canada and the central U.S.  Should that occur, the dam will finally break and the cold air now parked over Alaska and the Arctic will come spilling south.  Here's a forecast 500 millibar map for New Year's Eve that shows the type of pattern that could mean very cold weather for the central and northern U.S.  Note the nearly north to south lines over and est of the Canadian Rockies indicating northerly winds.

This forecast map for New Year's Eve will change as we get closer to that date, so the usefulness of such a forecast now is that it hints at a change in the upper air pattern. It will be something to keep an eye over the next week or so.  In the meantime, enjoy the mild December weather.

Fireballs in the Sky

Location of the Geminid meteor shower.
This image is from meteorshowersonline.com.

One of the events our family looks forward to in the summer is the Perseid meteor shower in mid-August. We live out in the country and have a good view of the north and northeast sky, which is perfect for viewing this shower.

This week there is another opportunity to view a meteor shower, the last "regular" meteor shower of the year. The Geminid meteor shower will occur from late night on December 13 until dawn on Friday, December 14. This shower often produces 50 or more meteors per hour, up to as much as 100 per hour.  This year, a new moon means a dark sky on the peak night of the Geminid shower (mid-evening December 13 until dawn December 14). The peak usually occurs around 2:00 a.m. local time, but meteors should be visible beginning about 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. local time. The shower is named the Geminid because the radiant (the point where the meteors appear to originate) appears to come from the constellation Gemini. This will be visible in the northeast sky. If you have a smart phone, there is a neat free app called Google Sky Map which helps you find constellations or other astronomical features from your location.

While the new moon is favorable for viewing, the weather in much of the U.S. won't be ideal. A ridge of high pressure will be slipping off of the east coast late Wednesday, and the weather will be most favorable from the mid-Atlantic coast into the Gulf States and then to central Missouri. Clouds associated with a frontal system snaking its way from Quebec through the Central Plains to southern California will muck thing up for areas just south and to the north of the front. Low level moisture being pulled into Texas by the southerly winds on the back side of the ridge will likely result in cloudiness that hampers viewing there.  A trough of low pressure heading out of the Front Range will keep skies cloudy in the Central Plains.

Forecast surface map for Wednesday, December 13, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. CST.
The area within the  yellow line should have the most favorable viewing conditions for the Geminid meteor shower.

December Tornadoes in the South

Surface map at 6:00 a.m. CST on December 10, 2021

Eight  tornadoes touched down in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida yesterday as severe thunderstorms developed ahead of a strong cold front. This cold front was part of the same system that brought snow to the Northern Plains and upper Midwest over the weekend. Three tornadoes were confirmed in Louisiana between Baton Rouge and New Orleans early Monday morning. Survey teams rated the damage as EF1 for all three tornadoes, and there was also some straight line damage. You read more information about these tornadoes on the NWS New Orleans/Baton Rouge web site.

Two EF0 and one EF1 tornadoes were confirmed in southern Mississippi on Sunday evening and Monday morning. The Jackson, MS National Weather Office web site has more information on these tornadoes.

On Monday afternoon rotating thunderstorms spun up two tornadoes in east-central Florida. An EF1 tornado touched down near Edgewater, and a waterspout was confirmed near Lake Apopka. More information on these storms can be found on the NWS Melbourne, FL web site.

Northern Florida CoCoRaHS map for December 11, 2012

Last night heavy thunderstorms brought 2.00 to more than 4.00 inches of rain to northern Florida. Tonight that cold front lies across central Florida, with thunderstorms expected overnight and tomorrow from Tampa eastward through Orlando and Daytona Beach. One half to one and a half inches of rain are possible in the band through Wednesday night. The front is expected to push out into the Atlantic, and cooler, drier weather is expected for much of Florida Thursday into the start of the weekend.

Surface map for 9:00 p.m. CST December 11, 2012

Snow and Blizzard Conditions in Upper Midwest

Snow whipped by high winds prompted blizzard warnings for eastern South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota today. A small but intense low pressure system over southern Minnesota coupled with a ridge of high pressure across the northern Rockies produced the tight pressure gradient (note the tight packing of the isobars - lines of equal pressure- in the map below) that resulted in the high winds.

Surface weather map at 12:00 p.m. CST today

Snowfall amounts were heavy, with 12 to 17 inches of snow reported in a band across south-central Minnesota as of this evening, stretching from the South Dakota border to north of the Twin Cities. It is still snowing in some areas and final snowfall totals may be higher. Below is the snowfall map for the 48 hour period ending at 7:00 a.m. local time today

This map is an objective analysis of NWS Cooperative Observer Program (COOP)
and Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) snowfall reports.
The map is produced by the NWS.

The CoCoRaHS snowfall map for Brookings County, South Dakota this morning shows amounts from 10 to 12 inches. Brookings County is in east-central South Dakota along the Minnesota border

24 hour snowfall map for Brookings County, SD for December 9, 2012