MikJournal Monday 01/11/16

It's safe to say by now we have had our first taste of true Arctic air. A little snow on the ground and generally clear, calm conditions this morning has led to many locations nearing the goose egg mark.

The Arctic Oscillation, affectionately called The Keeper of the Cold, is reaching out and sharing the love. Solidly negative values will lead to perhaps colder readings in the coming days. Why can  I say that?

Ah, remember those mild and warm December days of last year? It seems so long ago now that the cold is setting in. But, the AO was solidly recording very positive readings, so that the bulk of the polar winds associated with stormy, low pressure as contrasted with the mid-latitudes confined the coldest air to those areas. Well, this resulted in our temperatures being 20-30 degrees above normal for long stretches.

Now, the conditions have nearly flip-flopped. Solidly negative values, thanks to expansive Siberian high pressure has weakened the Polar Vortex enough that cold air transport is now available for many of us in the eastern U.S. In fact some areas could see readings nearly 25 degrees below average in our region.

The NAO, North American Oscillation, is working in tandem with the AO by providing a nice block for the cold air to arrive here nearly unobstructed.

Think of the recent football games. A running back or wide receiver has the football and is on the move. What better way to get downfield than his teammate throwing a block against an opposing player from interfering with the progress and momentum of the ball carrier. Often, such plays lead to touchdowns.

Well, the cold air is on the move. With nearly no obstructions, the result is Touchdown Cold. And I have a feeling there may be a few more touchdowns before this winter is over.

MS