North American Weather (U.S.A & Canada)

[cheeky_monkey]

Snow Cover May Help Usher in Historic Cold to Northwest

 

http://www.climatecentral.org/news/snow-cover-may-help-usher-in-historic-cold-to-northwest-16787

Yep we could be dipping close to -30c by the middle of next week if it pans out like this forecast.

[Mesoscale]

Yep we could be dipping close to -30c by the middle of next week if it pans out like this forecast.

Does -30C hurt? Coldest I have ever felt was -14c just before Christmas 2010 NW of London, UK, we had a snow pack of 5 inches at the time. There was no wind so it didn't feel all that cold with my winter gear on.London, Canada got hit pretty hard with lake effect snow the other day:http://youtu.be/iI3dU2X9BSE

[cheeky_monkey]

Does -30C hurt? Coldest I have ever felt was -14c just before Christmas 2010 NW of London, UK, we had a snow pack of 5 inches at the time. There was no wind so it didn't feel all that cold with my winter gear on.London, Canada got hit pretty hard with lake effect snow the other day:http://youtu.be/iI3dU2X9BSE

Looking at the forecast they are now predicting highs of -27c and a low of -35c by Fri/Sat next week..in answer to your question if there is any wind even a very gentle breeze -30c does sting...like pins and needles hands become numb very quickly if exposed for a few minutes..i remember when i was in Edmonton in 2011 trying to get the lead out of my engine to plug my block heater in when it was -30c had to take my gloves off to do it...damn did my fingers and hands hurt after just a couple of minutes..not very pleasant.

[Birkhill saints]

Yes it,s when the hairs freeze in the nose I find strange..

I have only seen -27 here in 3 years which is ok with no wind and brilliant sunshine. I did see - 20 in Scotland once.

The models now Put Calgary in the zone for the heavy snow for Tuesday and very cold there after..as Brett suggests on Accu....

[Coopsy]

I've experienced -42oC and that was a few minutes and the skin starts to tingle but indoors its nice and warm. Not like in the UK indoors is cold.

 

I think there might be some upsloping with this arctic storm and foothills might get a foot of snow. I wouldn't be surprised to see -25oC day time highs and -35oC night time lows.

 

Finally winter will arrive.

 

Right now its currently 2oC and snow is melting though still have 6 inches in the garden.

[knocker]

Thanksgiving's Seven Most Memorable Storms

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/thanksgivings-most-memorable-weather-events/20194510

[cheeky_monkey]

Bit of a tricky drive into work this morning....almost white out conditions with lots of snow falling with a strong winds temp around -12c..yet i did not see one snow plough or gritter on the road as i drove to work

[Coopsy]

No problems here - we've had less than 5cm's. All the snow has been about 15 miles to our east and onwards.

 

A normal chilly, windy winter day here, nothing special. -11oC about 30 mins ago....getting colder.

[Coopsy]

Here's the radar...I've tried to show where I live under the 2 horizontal lines and next to the dot (couldn't find an arrow lol) just west of the storm

 

This radar has been like this prob close to 18 hours and just dumping in places...40cm's plus in Pincher Creek.

 

[Styx]

I like the Canmore main street webcam right now. Snow covered street lit by the street lights and a few people out and about. Classic winter scene and sure looks cold!

[Coopsy]

I just looked at it - looks awesome and just realized the snow has picked up a bit. Its def wintry but nice and warm indoors :-)

[Ross B]

I'll be there on Monday cc what do you think for next week? Cold and dry or snowy?

[Coopsy]

I think you will miss the cold cold arctic air as it looks set to move east from the weekend. If I had to guess maybe -5oC daytime highs and sunny with a small chance of snow unless a pacific low comes through then lots of snow :-) good skiing now though

Edited December 3, 2013 by canadiancoops

[Roger J Smith]

The core of the coldest air (relative to normal) will shift later this week into the eastern prairies and northern plains states and eventually could be located over the Midwest U.S. but recovery of temperatures in the west will be somewhat limited as any chinook patterns will be recycling arctic air rather than mixing down Pacific air. This can lead to large temperature contrasts in mountain valleys, foothills and further out into the prairies, and some places may only see warming to about -5 or -10 C, while better mixing could bring 0-3 C, what we call a "cold chinook" pattern.

 

Here on the coast we had some scattered snow showers with the frontal passage Monday afternoon and evening, nothing at all where I live, and now it's a clear blue sky with a northeast wind and temperatures near -2 C. Rather odd to look out at green grass, blue sky and realize it's below freezing. There's no frost in the shade because the air mass is bone dry.

 

Short term it will warm up a little in the Midwest US and northeast states ahead of a weakening low left over from the Alberta-Montana snowstorm (now located near the SD-MN border). A second storm will develop over the higher parts of the southwest and this will bring heavy snow to higher parts of the southern Rockies, along with below normal temperatures and a few showers for the desert regions with snow on higher peaks.

[knocker]

The temp in Denver, CO has fallen 19F in the past hour, from 56F to 37F!

 

Thanks for the explanation of the "cold chinook" pattern.

 

No need to add to the post above by RJS but this is cold. Makes one appreciate Cornwall.

 

 

Some of the most extreme cold is expected over the next two days in Montana and the Dakotas. Lows Thursday morning are expected to be 30 to 40 degrees (or more in isolated locations) below average.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/12/03/winter-rocking-the-u-s-a-from-northwest-to-southeast-eventually/

Edited December 3, 2013 by knocker

[Coast]

Southern Alberta digging out from massive winter storm

 

The blizzard that hit Calgary may be over, but residents are now left to dig themselves out from the mounds of snow left in the storm's wake. The city declared a snow route parking ban would begin Wednesday morning at 9 a.m., which would allow crews to begin cleaning up Calgary roads. The parking ban is the first of this season and only the fifth issued in the last three winters. City officials estimate Wednesday’s ban will affect about 60,000 people across Calgary.

 

In the past, parking bans were issued only when there was an accumulation of five centimetres of snow or more, said Julie Yepishina-Geller, spokesperson for the City of Calgary “But that’s been changed this year in the bylaw, so now it’s just a significant accumulation, so we basically are reserving parking bans for the few times a year where we actually do see really significant snowfalls,†Yepishina-Geller told reporters. The ban will be in place for up to 72 hours, and those who fail to move their vehicles from snow routes can be hit with a $75 fine.

 

The Trans-Canada Highway between Calgary and Brooks reopened on Tuesday afternoon, after a lengthy closure, but a number of highways remain closed. Calgary police reported more than 175 road collisions over a 24-hour period – many of which were multi-vehicle pile ups – as gusting winds and drifting snow severely impacted visibility during the height of the storm. On Tuesday, police urged residents to stay off the roads if possible.

 

The intense winter storm began in northwestern Alberta Sunday morning and spread south towards Lethbridge, dumping upwards of 30 centimetres of snow in some parts of the province. South of Calgary, blizzard warnings remain in effect for Lethbridge and Brooks. Calgary International Airport continued its travel advisory on Tuesday, as dozens of flights in an out of the airport were delayed or cancelled because of the weather. Environment Canada's senior climatologist David Phillips said while the official start of winter is still a few weeks away, certain parts of Alberta have already seen significant snowfall and unusually cold temperatures.

 

Phillips told CTV News Channel on Tuesday that a little bit of snow and powerful winds are all that’s needed to cause blizzard-like conditions. "Yesterday at noon you had visibility down to 2/10th of a kilometre. You couldn't even see the front of the hood ornament on your car," he said. Phillips said as the storm system that slammed Alberta moves east, Arctic-like temperatures will move into the area. "This air like molasses – it's just going to stay. "He said Alberta could see temperatures that are 20 to 22 degrees colder than they should be for this time of year. Phillips said the storm will weaken as it moves east, and Saskatchewan and Manitoba are not expected to see blizzard-like conditions.

 

While Environment Canada has forecasted that Western Canada will see a colder but shorter winter compared to last year, southern Ontario and Atlantic Canada are expected to see warmer than normal temperatures throughout the season.

With a report from CTV Calgary’s Chris Epp

 

 

 

Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/southern-alberta-digging-out-from-massive-winter-storm-1.1571713#ixzz2mUYSlM2l

[Coast]

Looks like the Rockies, northern Plains and Upper Midwest are in for a blizzard on top of what's already there:

 

Wind-Driven Snow to Bury Central Rockies, Midwest

 

A storm may evolve into an all-out blizzard, unleashing snow, high winds and reducing visibility across the northern tier of the U.S.

Treacherous travel conditions and dangerous cold are expected across the Rockies, northern Plains and Upper Midwest through midweek. The worst of the storm is likely on Wednesday from eastern North Dakota to northern Minnesota, northwestern Wisconsin, part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and neighboring Canada. The worst of the cold following the storm will also focus over this area

 

Rockies

 

Some locations in the northern Rockies have already received more than 15 inches of snow since Sunday, and up to 6 or 12 inches of additional snow is expected through Wednesday.

 

This graphic shows forecast snowfall Tuesday night and Wednesday

 

Travel along I-90 from northern Idaho to western Montana, along with I-15 through the northern Rockies can be hazardous due to light snow and blowing snow. The Department of Transportation marked portions of I-90 and I-80 in Wyoming as slick, with blowing and drifting snow Tuesday morning. A few sections of the roadways were closed. Snow fell across much of I-80 from Nevada to northern Utah as well Tuesday into Tuesday night. Accumulating snow was targeting Reno, Nev., and Salt Lake City. Winds through some of the passes can gust above 30 mph at times, creating blowing and drifting snow.

 

Northern Plains, Upper Midwest

 

Snowfall amounts of 6 to 22 inches fell in parts of northern Minnesota, including the Duluth, Minn., area on Monday into Monday night, and another 6 to 12 inches may accumulate through Wednesday from northern Minnesota to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

 

This graphic shows forecast snowfall Tuesday night and Wednesday

 

By the time the storm exits on Wednesday, storm totals range from 1 to 3 feet over a large part of the Upper Midwest..

 

 

 

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/winter-storm-impact-northern-u/20564835

[be cause]

has Cheeky Monkey got lost in the snow ?

[keithlucky]

Pretty impressive cold sweeping across USA http://t.co/nbUlhdFYan

[Styx]

I think you will miss the cold cold arctic air as it looks set to move east from the weekend. If I had to guess maybe -5oC daytime highs and sunny with a small chance of snow unless a pacific low comes through then lots of snow :-) good skiing now though

 

What's the rule regarding skiing in town...are you permitted to ski on the roads or the footpaths, or both, or neither? With such a long period of lying snow during the year I was thinking, there must be a by-law about it! Or don't people do that to get from point a to point b during your snow season.

[cheeky_monkey]

has Cheeky Monkey got lost in the snow ?

No almost though..had a snow day yesterday..ie couldn't get to work..1st time it has ever happened to me whilst i have been in Canada..so shows how bad it was.

[Coopsy]

What's the rule regarding skiing in town...are you permitted to ski on the roads or the footpaths, or both, or neither? With such a long period of lying snow during the year I was thinking, there must be a by-law about it! Or don't people do that to get from point a to point b during your snow season.

 

That's an interesting question. I don't the actual laws but to answer it straight I have never seen anyone do it. The ploughs come round and clear the roads but also the sidewalks so there is never really too much snow on the ground where you walk or drive. We have trails all around town where you can cross country ski but with regards to getting around I pretty much wear trainers/shows all year or if I'm out early before the sidewalk ploughs then some winter boots.

 

There is a law that all house owners who have a public sidewalk in front of their house have to clear it within 24 hours of face  apossible fine. This way it keeps everything open to foot traffic. Kinda neat.

 

Even when we had 2 feet in 24 hours back in '08 by afternoon roads were ploughed, sidewalks cleared and people where getting around. Its pretty impressive :-)

 

The snow is taken off out of town once the large piles build up, plus it still melts even if below feezing as its very dry and the sun can still be strong enough to do that, which is interesting.

Edited December 5, 2013 by canadiancoops

[Ross B]

Just saw that it's -34c there now CC

[cheeky_monkey]

Just saw that it's -34c there now CC

-37c with a windchill of -44c just east of Calgary...some are saying we could be back to normal temps by Sunday with highs around -3c

[Roger J Smith]

The severe cold has pushed well south now and is bringing record lows to Utah and northern Arizona. Bryce Canyon and Milford UT both at -31 C before sunrise, with generally a foot of snow on the ground in most of southern Utah. The Grand Canyon south rim reported -17 C. Looks like a new storm will develop in southern Arizona and New Mexico, moving through Texas then northeast. This one will bring heavy freezing rain as it allows a shallow undercutting layer of cold to get in beneath 5-10 C air aloft. Then another low will follow with a mixture of snow and sleet, gradually pushing the arctic boundary further east and south in the eastern states over the weekend.

 

Meanwhile the departing blizzard gave Minnesota a heavy pounding with 15-20 inch amounts quite common, 32 inches which is almost 90 cm at Two Harbors on Lake Superior (east wind lake enhancement there). This storm is now in northern Ontario heading for the eastern arctic islands.

 

It has been clear and very cold on the west coast, no snow near sea level, just sub-freezing temps in the range of -2 daytime to -7 night. Clouding over this morning from a weak frontal wave on the offshore fronts, but expecting clear and even colder conditions for Friday -- once the high gets wedged over the inter-mountain plateau regions, a weak chinook can begin to warm up parts of Alberta although it will be a temporary reprieve.

 

If you have clear skies tonight, check out the view of Venus and the crescent new moon forming a lovely spectacle in the southwest at sunset.