3:20 PM | What a difference a week might make!
Paul Dorian
Discussion
We’ve been talking in recent days about a potential return to a colder weather pattern following our current unseasonably mild spell as a result of such things as a widespread snowpack in the northern hemisphere and a major stratospheric warming event - indeed, big changes appear to be on the way.
First, we’ll experience an unseasonably mild weekend with temperatures peaking on Sunday above 60 degrees in many Mid-Atlantic locations. It’ll stay mild on Monday, but changes begin by Tuesday as much cooler air filters into the region from our northwest. The sharp temperature gradient that will be pressing east towards the coast could pass through the region without much in the way of precipitation; however, enough instability will exist in this boundary zone that there is the potential for an organized low pressure system to form by mid-week which, if it were to happen, could throw some snow our way. Those moderately cold mid-week temperatures will then likely give way to even colder conditions by the end of the week. Beyond that, there are signs for additional cold shots, perhaps even bitter cold air, to move into the Northeast US during the week of the 21st.
Stay tuned as this entire transition period from the weekend warmth to the late week winter cold may be quite volatile.