Happy Thursday folks!
So January is going out like a lamb with national temperatures trending above average and the warmest last few days of January in 10 years. A big storm is moving into the West Coast this weekend with widespread 0.75" to 4.0" rainfall totals and heavy mountain snowfall. While temperatures will surge to 50F+ from Omaha NE to Detroit MI to Philadelphia PA this weekend into early next week.
The West Coast storm looks to take an inland track through the Central U.S. with a band of moderate to heavy snowfall (8-12") ejecting out of Colorado into Northern Kansas and points North and then moving into Wisconsin by Ground Hog Day (Tuesday). This will bring a big warm surge to the East Coast since we'll be on the warm southerly side of the storm. Many areas plagued with the blizzard last weekend could top70 in Southern Virginia, 60 up near DC and 50s in New Jersey for a couple days. Should help speed up the snow meltwith rain adding in the melting.
As this storm moves out 3 Feb it will usher in some much colder weather sweeping from the West early in February to the East Coast by the 6th. The 2nd week of February looks to be the coldest period of February with a moderating trend for the later half of the month. Overall February looks to bring above average temperatures to the Eastern half of the U.S. with cooler conditions for the western half. This is a wholesale change from last year with monthly temperatures in the East likely to trend a whopping 12 to 16 degrees warmer than last year's brutally cold February.
Ground Hog Day (2 Feb Tuesday) outlook shows cloudy skies so that should mean Punxsutawney Phil does not see his shadow meaning spring is near. We shall see.
T
o see 6-day snowfall maps in motion visit our facebook fan page.
- Capt Kirk out.