New Record Positive 500 MB Height Anomaly Set On December 16th

[bluewave]

Some dates from the past when we saw over +600 m positive 500 mb height anomalies in the Northern Hemisphere from JAN 77,JAN 85,and DEC 07.

[Roger Smith]

This creates an almost unprecedented 1080 mb high over Greenland (according to GFS) at 72h-96h from current, and to the east of that, a polar low with hurricane force northerly winds that will sweep down towards Scotland reaching the British Isles as 40-60 mph northerly sub-freezing and snow-laden air mass on Thursday. This is going to be quite the five day period for the U.K. and Ireland as the cold blast spreads out and the block continues to spread down sub-freezing air masses.

[bluewave]

This creates an almost unprecedented 1080 mb high over Greenland (according to GFS) at 72h-96h from current, and to the east of that, a polar low with hurricane force northerly winds that will sweep down towards Scotland reaching the British Isles as 40-60 mph northerly sub-freezing and snow-laden air mass on Thursday. This is going to be quite the five day period for the U.K. and Ireland as the cold blast spreads out and the block continues to spread down sub-freezing air masses.

Yeah,some really impressive anomalies.

[Cheeznado]

Preliminary research indicates the 585 height over the Greenland area on the 16th is the largest 500mb height anomaly worldwide - 694m - since the beginning of the period of record, 1948. This shatters the old record of 669m set to the west of Greenland in January 1985.

[bluewave]

Preliminary research indicates the 585 height over the Greenland area on the 16th is the largest 500mb height anomaly worldwide - 694m - since the beginning of the period of record, 1948. This shatters the old record of 669m set to the west of Greenland in January 1985.

Wow,that's really impressive!Thanks very much for the information.

[Jebman]

Preliminary research indicates the 585 height over the Greenland area on the 16th is the largest 500mb height anomaly worldwide - 694m - since the beginning of the period of record, 1948. This shatters the old record of 669m set to the west of Greenland in January 1985.

January 1985 featured one of the COLDEST ever outbreaks over the Eastern CONUS, at least in my lifetime. Wasn't that the time we had that super Arctic outbreak in late January when highs didn't break -2 fahrenheit in northern VA then the low was -14 with 30 mph N winds?

I had no idea we were dealing with THAT kind of a beast THIS winter!!!!