coastalplainsnowman

Been thinking about what would be the polar (no pun intended) opposite of the warm winter run we've had recently. Suppose we were having below normal weather in July which were to balance out what's been going on here this month. What would that look like? Does dry with high 60s with occasional mid 50s in July sound about right?

Thunder on January 12th. Grrrrrrrreat. Not part of some significant storm, not thundersnow, nothing dramatic - just a regular ol' passing evening thundershower, as if we're in July.

I had relatives 'N&W' and growing up in the 80s, especially post '83, we just took it as a fact of life that if the storm was anything of the coastal variety, I was destined for plain rain or an agonizing changeover on LI, while they would call to say they got a foot plus. I genuinely started to doubt whether it was possible to get real snow here. The only type of storm that seemed to drop any real snow was a moderate Alberta clipper, seemingly the storm of choice on LI in the 80s. By the way, whatever happened to them? I remember quite a few 4-6" storms (a big deal at the time.) Can't recall getting much from a clipper in forever. I'll say this much though - the LI amounts of all those fun storms of the 2000s/2010s were bigger than the vast majority of totals even to the N&W in those 80s storms. At the time, the 14", 18" they would call about seemed incredible, since my only points of reference were 78 and 83. That's why the 24, 28, 30" type numbers we saw here were mind-blowing. That never got old. Hope it happens again.

These just may be the saddest snowfall maps I have ever seen. As they say, someday we'll look back at these and laugh.

Even if one agrees with everything being said here, it seems like there are a lot of folks in favor of taking technological advancement out at the knees before we find the necessary solutions, by preemptively hamstringing economies, if not outright crippling them. Like we're on a rocket fuel powered ship traveling to a place where innovations await regarding not just energy solutions, but great health and technology advances as well, but there are folks on the ship, mid-flight, saying "Wait. Stop using rocket fuel. Let's use switchgrass instead, now. What, the ship doesn't run on switchgrass, and we'll have to drastically slow down, if not stop the ship outright? Too bad, figure that out first. Why do you hate the earth?" Much of the pushback that understandably perplexes many on this board is borne not necessarily out of disagreement about warming, but the approaches being taken, which to many seem ridiculous and counterproductive.

I think it was ice on the Nassau County south shore. I was a young grade schooler and I still remember the a) astonishment of my parents and all the other adults, and b) how wild everything looked. As I recall, school was in session, unless somehow I'm remembering the following day, though everything definitely was still ice encrusted. It took a lot to close school back then. I see JFK wasn't above 28 that day, and didn't get above freezing until the afternoon of the 17th, which would support the south shore being part of this event.

I realize that 'measurable' is apparently 0.1 or greater as the article states, and not trace, however it's still funny that smack within that 332 day unmeasurable snow streak ending on Dec. 15, 2020, a trace of snow fell on much of this forum on May 9th.

Gotta love that brutal looking map which must have been focus-grouped with people like me. "Seasonably Cold" in block letters on blue shading behind an ominous looking cold front. "SEASONABLY COLD" --- you mean, "NORMAL?"

Had heard that as well. Did some googling and got multiple hits to the effect of "at least eight European countries recorded their warmest January day ever: Liechtenstein, the Czech Republic, Poland, the Netherlands, Belarus, Lithuania, Denmark and Latvia." Seems like in the past when it was unseasonably warm here, it would frequently be the case that Europe would be going through some freakish cold and snow. This is all anecdotal of course, but I don't recall record-breaking warm both here (i.e. most of the US) and Europe simultaneously.

Jan 2005 above has always been noteworthy for me. I wonder if there’s ever been a winter month since records began which can be so perfectly, evenly, divided between such a much above normal first half and much below normal second half.

Not to be overly local here, but heard on radio this morning that Merrick road at the Meadowbrook in Nassau was closed due to flooding. Doesn't look like there was much rain there overnight, so figuring that was unexpected coastal flooding?

1982/1983 would be a backender too if memory serves. Christmas ‘82 was the opposite of Christmas ‘83. The first really warm Christmas Eve in my memory - followed by minimal snow, until the Blizzard of ‘83.

Same here. The problem now, as much as it may also be true that fewer kids, generally, might be interested in venturing outside, is lack of opportunity. When I was a kid, there was only one guy on the block with a snowblower. Now it seems like 75% do, and we all take care of the 25% who don't. Also, the days of the 15 year old landscaper with a nice clientele of 8 lawns are mostly over as it became tougher to compete with adults who could do the same at scale. Then there's newspaper delivery, where a similar thing happened. I understand why all those things happened, but a definite side effect was less opportunity for kids to get some real life work experience.

20+ years on this and predecessor boards and I've never asked this sort of question, but I'm desperate so here goes: Relative has a flight from LI to FL tomorrow afternoon, returning back here late Friday night. With respect to the timing of the storm impacts, those seem like maybe the least awful timeframes given the circumstances, but wondering folks' thoughts on the likelihood those flights will be impacted due to residual delays, impacts in other cities the planes might be coming from etc. Maybe it's as much a bad weather travel experience question as much as a weather question. Would really appreciate any insight!

How many times in the past 20 years was there, if not total consensus, then at minimum majority opinion that the next three weeks looked bleak, only for things to turn on a dime and for an actual snowy pattern to emerge out of the literal blue within a week? The answer: frequently enough. For that reason I really try not to ride the daily highs and lows here. The mood here is too somber. C'mon, the season just started! Let's enjoy the ride. Since I have nothing real to add here will just say happy holidays to all and all the best for 2023.

There seems to be a new law of the universe which states that the NYC metro area *must* receive at least one Christmas mood killing 60+ degree day each year roughly during Christmas week. Has this not been frequentlyl true for the past dozen or so years? Look at that 12/23 abomination. If recent history is a guide, that baby will manage to hit 60. Granted, I"ll take it if the subsequent 6 days turn out as depicted.

I was joking lol. If you took me seriously then I gotta say that you showed considerable restraint and patience in your reply.

Uh, of course it's intermittent. Take today, for example, it was dark until just a few hours ago.

Hi Don, just wondering, how much is this due to the fact that a 6", or especially 10", December, on its own would put much of our area so far ahead of our paltry pace that even a subsequent average Jan-February would necessarily result an above normal year? Or is it the case that in years with a snowy December, that Jan and February months themselves also tend to be above normal? Thanks.

First frost in 1977 was late. Three months later was the Blizzard of '78. There's hope!

The areas which will hate this the most are the western edges of the timezones. Columbus, Ohio, for example, will have roughly an *8:50AM* sunrise for most of December/January. Are there studies which really show that pretending it is later than it is all year will have a statistically significant effect on energy usage? Does that outweigh the side effects, such as the legitimate concern that all the kids will be going to school in the dark - the concern that largely squashed this years ago? On a non-scientific note, if this happens, I'll miss the early sunsets in the fall/winter. It was always a sign that snow/holidays/family season was upon us. Plus the Christmas lights can be on as early as 4PM and be noticeable. Ramble over.

Unusual look on radar this morning. Looks like rain developing in opposite directions to the east and west away from us. Not counterclockwise, but more like building and pulling away in opposite directions. Looks unusual to me anyway - first time I've seen it at least..

Lord, let it rain, but not yet.