NATIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY

 

NOVEMBER 2012

 

1^st-10^th…A combination of rain and snow showers moved into the Northern Plains on Friday. A low pressure system moved eastward from the Northern Rockies and toward the Upper Midwest. This system pushed a frontal boundary eastward with it, which allowed for scattered rain showers to develop. Temperatures dropped below freezing behind the cold front and allowed for rain showers to turn to snow showers across the Dakotas. Snowfall accumulation ranged from 1 to 3 inches, while parts of western and central Minnesota only saw a few light flurries. The cold air mass allowed for overnight lows across the Northern Plains to drop into the teens. The national low was reported at Silver Bay, Minnesota with an overnight low of 14F. This chilly air mass allowed for highs to range in the 30s across the North-Central U.S. A winter weather advisory has been issued across the region due to the dangerous road and travel conditions associated with the snow, freezing rain and sleet from this system.

In the West, a strong low pressure system spinning in the Gulf of Alaska continued to push a cold front toward the West Coast. This pushed some moisture onshore, and allowed for rain showers to develop along far western Oregon and Washington.

A strong nor'easter continued to strengthen as it moved northward on Wednesday and brought very strong to damaging winds, storm surge, and swaths of rain, snow, and a wintry mix of precipitation to areas of the Upper Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. In regards to precipitation, non-accumulating snowfall to up to an inch of snowfall was anticipated in the DC area and Baltimore, while heavier snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches and locally higher interior amounts along with up to a tenth of an inch of ice were expected in southwestern New Jersey, northern Delaware, and southeastern Pennsylvania through Thursday morning. The combination of strong winds, and heavy wet snow and rain increased the likelihood of new power outages across the Northeast. As of early Wednesday morning, 676,000 customers were still without power in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Meanwhile, rain and storm surge led to increased chances of coastal flooding through the day. Elsewhere in the nation, a few areas of scattered showers developed in the Eastern Valley this afternoon, while a cold front pushed through the Northwest with cooler conditions and areas of rain showers.

 

11^th-17^th…The most active weather in the country was due to a cold front that began the day stretched from eastern Texas through Wisconsin before moving through the Mississippi Valley toward the Appalachian Mountains. This front maintained a moderate amount of moisture that produced moderate to occasionally heavy rain from Louisiana through the Great Lakes region. As the front moved eastward it lost moisture and allowed precipitation to gradually diminish. By the afternoon, light to moderate rain fell from Alabama through Ohio. This storm represented the only major weather feature in the country on Wednesday. Meanwhile, a Pacific storm moved into the Northwest and produced rain and high elevation snow through Washington and northern Oregon. Some of this moisture crept into Idaho into the afternoon, bringing additional high elevation snow on top of the snow received over the weekend. Dry conditions greeted the Plains and Southwest as a high pressure system continued to dominate the area.

The Northeast rose into the 60s and 70s, while the Southeast will see temperatures in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. The Northern Plains rose into the 20s and 30s, while the Southwest saw temperatures in the 60s and 70s.

A fairly quiet weather pattern prevailed across much of the nation on Wednesday. In the East, rain showers along the New England and the Mid-Atlantic coasts tapered off by this morning as the cold front impacting the region moved offshore and into the western Atlantic Ocean. The southern half of this front became nearly stationary as it reached across the Florida Peninsula and into the Gulf of Mexico. Limited moisture pooling along this boundary led to only a few areas of light drizzle in the peninsula during the early afternoon.

Out to the West, a weak trough of low pressure maintained showers in the upper Pacific Northwest this morning, while associated westerlies pumped moisture inland and kick up areas of showers an high elevation snow in Idaho, western Montana, and northwestern Wyoming. Winter Weather Advisories was issued for western Wyoming, West Yellowstone and the Raynolds and Targhee Passes as snow coverage increased during the late morning and afternoon. Snow accumulations in these areas were expected to range between 1 to 3 inches, while snow accumulations of 3 to 8 inches were expected in parts of western Wyoming.

The West saw an active weather day, while most of the East remained quiet and dry on Friday. A low pressure system off the coast of California advanced eastward and further onshore throughout the day. This pulled abundant moisture in from the Pacific Ocean and allowed for scattered rain showers to spread from southern California into central and northern California. Moisture from this system reached inland and brought a few snow showers to the Sierras. Snow levels dropped to 7,000 feet, with snowfall accumulations from 2 to 5 inches in these areas. Rainfall totals at lower levels remained less than a half of an inch. At the same time in the north, a strong low pressure system continued to drop southward from the Gulf of Alaska. Flow around this system pushed a front into the Pacific Northwest, which triggered light rain and high elevation snow showers across western Oregon and Washington. Meanwhile in the East, dry and cool conditions prevailed as high pressure covered the Plains and Eastern Valleys. High temperatures remained in the 30s and 40s in the North, while the Southeast saw highs in the 50s and 60s. Further south, a frontal boundary lingered over Florida and the Bahamas and kicked up a few more light showers and thunderstorms.

 

27^th-30^th…The main weather producer for Tuesday was the frontal system that moved across the eastern and southern U.S., which dumped widespread precipitation from New England southwestward through the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic and Deep South. Snow fell over parts of the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Northeast. In particular, areas of heavy snow occurred over southern New England. Accumulations were about 1 to 3 inches from Pennsylvania through the southern New England coast. The southern portions of the front pushed through the Southeast and Gulf coast with showers and a few thunderstorms. Meanwhile, a cold front sagged southeastward from Canada and supported some snow showers over the Upper Midwest. Out West, a Pacific storm system approached the West Coast and brought mostly cloudy skies to most of the Western U.S. Precipitation was expected to reach the West Coast Tuesday afternoon and night. Some heavy rainfall was forecast for northwest California and Southwest Oregon. Temperature wise, the Northeast, Great Lakes and Ohio valley experienced a fairly chilly day as temperatures were running 8 to 15 degrees below normal. On the other hand, it was a mild day across the Great Basin, where temperatures were in the 50s and 60s.

Jim G. Munley, jr.
http://www.jimmunleywx.com