How Does This Winter Stack Up Against Last Winter and Past Winters?

It's almost the middle of December. So far, Louisville Int'l has recorded 4 days with high temperatures of <=32 degrees this young winter season (November included). It appears the cold trend will continue, especially for the latter part of the month.

Last year, Louisville Int'l recorded only 6 days for the entire winter season with high temperatures <=32 degrees.

Although the recent cold spell has been relatively brutal, December's average temperature is nowhere near the top ten coldest December's on record for Louisville...yet. We are expecting a blast of winter cold for the period around Christmas, though. If the major block in Alaska continues, then storm systems will have to veer around that block by way of the Siberian and Arctic regions and spill chunks of that cold air into the Plains and Midwest. Therefore, you haven't felt winter's brutality yet.

Do you remember when...?

The year 2000 was the coldest December on record for Louisville and 2nd coldest for Lexington.

You want to see something eerie??? Check out this 500mb forecast for later this month...

Compare this map with the image just above this one. I see quite a few similarities of the winter 2000 brutal cold and the impending cold for later this month.

Snowfall has been variable for parts of the state. Louisville Int'l has received 5.8" as of this date. Lexington has received 2.0".

Last year, both sites had recorded only a trace of snow up to this date.

The winter season is still young but is already ripening as we head into the coldest part of the year in January.

MS