Does this weather pattern bear and similarities to that of 1949-50

[Ottawa Blizzard]

I was wondering if this weather pattern bears any similarity to that of 1949-50? I've noticed that October 1949 wasa torch, one of the warmest ever recorded in both Toronto and Ottawa, while December 1949 was also very mild, with very little snow. The main glaring difference is that November 1949 was cold, as opposed to this past November, which was a torch.

December 1949 Toronto: http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/dailydata_e.html?timeframe=2&Prov=XX&StationID=5097&Year=1949&Month=12&Day

December 1949 Ottawa: http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/dailydata_e.html?timeframe=2&Prov=XX&StationID=4337&Year=1949&Month=12&Day=30

Note all the arin a few days before Christmas that year. If we get a brief cold snap just after Christmas, both cities might match the 1949 mean. Perhaps winter will hit the east in February this year?

[donsutherland1]

I was wondering if this weather pattern bears any similarity to that of 1949-50? I've noticed that October 1949 wasa torch, one of the warmest ever recorded in both Toronto and Ottawa, while December 1949 was also very mild, with very little snow. The main glaring difference is that November 1949 was cold, as opposed to this past November, which was a torch.

December 1949 Toronto: http://www.climate.w...49&Month=12

December 1949 Ottawa: http://www.climate.w...Month=12&Day=30

Note all the arin a few days before Christmas that year. If we get a brief cold snap just after Christmas, both cities might match the 1949 mean. Perhaps winter will hit the east in February this year?

Both December 1949 and December 2011 (so far) experienced strengthening La Niña conditions and a lack of blocking. The first half of January 1950 experienced several episodes of generally weak blocking, but a severely negative PNA overwhelmed the blocking leading to widespread warmth in eastern North America during that time.

[Ottawa Blizzard]

Both December 1949 and December 2011 (so far) experienced strengthening La Niña conditions and a lack of blocking. The first half of January 1950 experienced several episodes of generally weak blocking, but a severely negative PNA overwhelmed the blocking leading to widespread warmth in eastern North America during that time.

Very interesting Don. JB seems to like the analog - mind you, he's been all over the place lately. However, with him, and others, calling for stratospheric warming and a cooldown in the west, perhaps we are in for a similar winter. January 1950 was a bust in Toronto and Ottawa, but February 1950 wasn't so bad. Montreal saw over 100cm of snow in February 1950. It's interesting how the days immediately prior to Christmas in 1949 were a mild washout, and a torch. 58F in both cities on December 22,1949!

[e pluribus unum]

January 1950 was quite a bit colder in Vancouver, BC than it was in Toronto.

[michsnowfreak]

Crazy roller coaster temps here in 1949-50. Spiking as high as the 60s, then single digits/teens a few days later, was a regular occurrance in Jan. Jan 25, 1950 is Detroits warmest Jan temp on record, 67F, with 72F reported in Ann Arbor. Several snowfalls in Jan but none lasted on the ground too long. Feb/Mar saw much more in the way of steady winter weather.

[Lee]

Numerous record highs in the 70's in this area in January that year that still stand today. Record warmest January throughout much of the SE and southern MA.

http://climvis.ncdc....-map-display.pl

I don't think that kind of warmth will be realized this year but, if the PNA were to go neg. enough and a deep enough sustained trough drops out west along with a big SE ridge coupled with the +AO/NAO there would be the chance, however.