Tracking the Release of the arctic Hounds of Hell

[CoastalWx]

It just sucks to have bare ground with this cold..just seems like a waste, but I don't control the weather. 

 

This has to be a 1-300 yr screwjie for this part of ern MA. Just a big hole from BOS to the north shore.

[CapturedNature]

Is the CT river frozen in CT?  Blizz?  Anyone?

 

 

Time to walk from one building to another in a tee shirt to grab some food.  Wowweeeee here we go

 

It's hard to tell, but from this traffic cam it does look like there are sheets of ice on the CT River at Hartford:

 

http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=2354&q=401618

 

Either way, it's a long way from looking like it does in Quebec:

 

http://www.observatoire-capitale.com/en/virtual-tour/webcams.html

[snowman21]

Still the coldest weather in a couple of years.  Save for a couple of breaks, it looks to linger so we might exceed those averages but time will tell.

 

I'm still waiting to hit my average winter minimum temperature of -8°.

I saw your post about your obs time of 7 a.m. impacting your monthly averages earlier. Have you read the Karl, Williams, et al paper on the impacts on average temperatures due to non-midnight observation times? BDL was one of the stations involved in their research (as a control station I believe) and in January the effect can be up to 1.0C on the average temperature depending on the time of day one takes their readings. Here's the link to the paper http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/1520-0450%281986%29025%3C0145%3AAMTETT%3E2.0.CO%3B2 in case you haven't seen it.

[CapturedNature]

There will likely be another arctic outbreak sometime in early February as ensemble support for it has continued to grow.

 

Yeah, I still hold out hope for a nice stretch of cold and snow.  Typically we have through about mid-February for a good cold infusion though I know we've some in early March (despite what some think).  I'm one of those select few that enjoys a good arctic out break... .

[ORH_wxman]

Yeah, I still hold out hope for a nice stretch of cold and snow.  Typically we have through about mid-February for a good cold infusion though I know we've some in early March (despite what some think).  I'm one of those select few that enjoys a good arctic out break... .

 

 

Yeah we'll occasionally have a good one in early March. We went 0F, 0F, 3F, and 0F four nights row in March 2007...that was at ORH airport with no radiation, so it was a legit cold airmass. Highs in the teens on two of those days with the 21F the other day setting one of two record low maximums during that stretch. The 0F on 3/7/07 set a record low.

 

 

That's the last good one we had though.

[Baroclinic Zone]

It just sucks to have bare ground with this cold..just seems like a waste, but I don't control the weather. 

 

This has to be a 1-300 yr screwjie for this part of ern MA. Just a big hole from BOS to the north shore.

 

Cold and dry sucks.  I have like 1-2" OTG at home but it's going to sublimate to nothing unless I see a refresher tomorrow night.  Those images Chris posted are laughable.  I am at 11.75" season to date on snow.  MEH winter.

[CapturedNature]

I saw your post about your obs time of 7 a.m. impacting your monthly averages earlier. Have you read the Karl, Williams, et al paper on the impacts on average temperatures due to non-midnight observation times? BDL was one of the stations involved in their research (as a control station I believe) and in January the effect can be up to 1.0C on the average temperature depending on the time of day one takes their readings. Here's the link to the paper http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/1520-0450%281986%29025%3C0145%3AAMTETT%3E2.0.CO%3B2 in case you haven't seen it.

 

Yes, actually I have read that but I look at it a little differently.  It's not really "impacting monthly averages" but it's really impacting monthly averages compared to stations that use 0000-0000 for daily obs and being able to compare the two.  I started as a coop observer in the 80s keeping 7a-7a records so I prefer keeping my records consistent.  It also allows me to compare my data with other coop data as opposed to the "first order" airport stations which exist for public safety as opposed to climate monitoring.

 

When I was in college I remember having a discussion with one of my professors about keeping records with regard to midnight to midnight or morning to morning.  There are pros and cons to each method as one provides calendar day records and the other typically provides climate day monitoring among many arguments.

[Allenson]

Pretty common temperature in this area.  -17° at my place 15-20 miles west and -19° at KMPV. 

 

Yep, lots of high minus teens and low minus twenties. 

 

Coldest in VT was Sutton at -30.  I think that might be Steve Maleski from Eye on the Sky.

[SlantStickers Anonymous]

It just sucks to have bare ground with this cold..just seems like a waste, but I don't control the weather.

This has to be a 1-300 yr screwjie for this part of ern MA. Just a big hole from BOS to the north shore.

It's brutal, every storm finds a way to avoid us or fail in our areas.

[BostonWX]

It's brutal, every storm finds a way to avoid us or fail in our areas.

Just south of the city here I still have a coating, bare in direct sun. Low of 2.7 last night

[CapturedNature]

Yeah we'll occasionally have a good one in early March. We went 0F, 0F, 3F, and 0F four nights row in March 2007...that was at ORH airport with no radiation, so it was a legit cold airmass. Highs in the teens on two of those days with the 21F the other day setting one of two record low maximums during that stretch. The 0F on 3/7/07 set a record low.

 

 

That's the last good one we had though.

 

Yeah, it's been a while.  The one I'm thinking of was 3/4/2004.  I had a high of 13° that (ironically, the same as my high yesterday).  The low was zero and warmed up the next day so it was a quick but potent blast.  My notes aren't great back then as I was just going through the motions of my 7am ob, but at least I have the temps.

 

My latest below zero record is the 19th back in 1993 but again, I only have 28 years of records.

[SlantStickers Anonymous]

Just south of the city here I still have a coating, bare in direct sun. Low of 2.7 last night

Yeah I've got little coatings scattered around town, especially in backyards, and last night was dam cold!

[ORH_wxman]

Yes, actually I have read that but I look at it a little differently.  It's not really "impacting monthly averages" but it's really impacting monthly averages compared to stations that use 0000-0000 for daily obs and being able to compare the two.  I started as a coop observer in the 80s keeping 7a-7a records so I prefer keeping my records consistent.  It also allows me to compare my data with other coop data as opposed to the "first order" airport stations which exist for public safety as opposed to climate monitoring.

 

When I was in college I remember having a discussion with one of my professors about keeping records with regard to midnight to midnight or morning to morning.  There are pros and cons to each method as one provides calendar day records and the other typically provides climate day monitoring among many arguments.

 

 

As long as you keep your method the same, it won't affect it comparing to your own averages.

[Sugarloaf1989]

Our town is holding it's annual kids ice fishing tournament this saturday on Coventry lake and they need 6" of ice to safely hold the event. As of this morning the lake has 8" of ice, so they are good to go. I am curious as to if the Willimantic River is frozen over at Merrow Meadow, I'll check it out later on this afternoon.

[Damage In Tolland]

Yes the CT river was frozen this morning. I drive over the Charter Oak and it was iced over

[Ginx snewx]

Yes the CT river was frozen this morning. I drive over the Charter Oak and it was iced over

test

[Tropopause_Fold]

Test. Cold. Phone. Winter.

[Tropopause_Fold]

Works - thanks

[klw]

Temp has zoomed all the way up to 3.9 here in St. Johnsbury (from the low of -22).  What a torch!

[tamarack]

Yes, actually I have read that but I look at it a little differently.  It's not really "impacting monthly averages" but it's really impacting monthly averages compared to stations that use 0000-0000 for daily obs and being able to compare the two.  I started as a coop observer in the 80s keeping 7a-7a records so I prefer keeping my records consistent.  It also allows me to compare my data with other coop data as opposed to the "first order" airport stations which exist for public safety as opposed to climate monitoring.

 

When I was in college I remember having a discussion with one of my professors about keeping records with regard to midnight to midnight or morning to morning.  There are pros and cons to each method as one provides calendar day records and the other typically provides climate day monitoring among many arguments.

 

IMO, midnight-midnight comes much closer to what an avg of 24 hourly readings would produce than 7A-7A (or 4P-4P, which I've seen though less than commonly), and is thus a better read on reality.  However, apples-to-apples for a given location, especially one with a long period of record, can be more important.  Other than for cocorahs (7A), my ops time has been 9P since we moved to N.Maine in 1/76.  It's as close to midnight as prudent for one whose day begins at 5A, and probably works out to a couple tenths milder than midnight obs.  On over 90% of days both times will yield the same numbers; yesterday my afternoon high of -3 was "negated" by the 2F reading at 9 the previous evening.

 

This cold snap stands out from recent years because of duration more than actual temps, as 2009 was nearly 20F colder than I've seen thus far.  However, that was a 2-day event, and just about every cold blast has been 1-2 days since 2004.  This one looks to give me double-digit negatives for at least 4 days, maybe up to 6 depending on whether we get clouds from tomorrow night's whiff, and probably 5 in a row with highs in teens or singles.

[bobbutts]

Feels like crap out there even for a brief walk to the mailbox.  

KCON noontime reading:

 

Overcast and Breezy

8°F

Wind Speed

NW 22 G 29 mph

[CapturedNature]

IMO, midnight-midnight comes much closer to what an avg of 24 hourly readings would produce than 7A-7A (or 4P-4P, which I've seen though less than commonly), and is thus a better read on reality.  However, apples-to-apples for a given location, especially one with a long period of record, can be more important.  Other than for cocorahs (7A), my ops time has been 9P since we moved to N.Maine in 1/76.  It's as close to midnight as prudent for one whose day begins at 5A, and probably works out to a couple tenths milder than midnight obs.  On over 90% of days both times will yield the same numbers; yesterday my afternoon high of -3 was "negated" by the 2F reading at 9 the previous evening.

 

This cold snap stands out from recent years because of duration more than actual temps, as 2009 was nearly 20F colder than I've seen thus far.  However, that was a 2-day event, and just about every cold blast has been 1-2 days since 2004.  This one looks to give me double-digit negatives for at least 4 days, maybe up to 6 depending on whether we get clouds from tomorrow night's whiff, and probably 5 in a row with highs in teens or singles.

 

Yeah, (and I'm sorry for being OT in a discussion about the cold) I agree some what with your points but I don't agree that midnight to midnight is more representative of an average 24 hour reading.  While it does represent what occurred on a calendar day, I recall their being some validity doing it AM to AM to represent a meteorological day.  As you pointed out, your afternoon high of -3 was negated by the previous nights temp.  In my opinion that doesn't represent what happened during the day.  You almost have to make note of it in your comments, which I do if my min was recorded the previous day.  Anyway, just our opinions!

 

Like you and others have said, it's important to remain consistent!  I'm sure you enjoy having a long record going back to the 70s.  I wish I had data going back a few more years but I was too young to start.

 

Temp is up to 16° but should start heading down in the next hour or so (I have a hill to my west).

[weatherMA]

ORH torching to 13F today...prob hits 14F after yesterdays 11F. 

 

Yesterday was 5/13 for me.

 

Today so far is -2/15.

[Clinch Leatherwood]

Looks like it wasn't Tuesday though.  Quabbin still unfrozen in MA also? 

 

 

 

I was told over the weekend by a local that little Sebago was still totally unfrozen.  Looks like one of the big lakes in that area was still open per that shot.

 

My snow is sublimating away.

[ChrisM]

Brutal walking around campus today...not because of the cold but because everyone bi***ing

Woahsorry thay didn't get edited first time

[Baroclinic Zone]

I was told over the weekend by a local that little Sebago was still totally unfrozen.  Looks like one of the big lakes in that area was still open per that shot.

 

My snow is sublimating away.

Sebago is always notorious for freezing later in the season due to it's depth.  300ft+.  It's the deepest lake in Maine.

[weatherwiz]

I must say, the cold actually really hasn't bothered me as much as it used to in past years.  Perhaps I'm just dressing properly but walking around Hartford yesterday and last night and going outside just now I wasn't freaking out trying to get inside.  Actually makes me miss the brutal cold I felt up in LSC back in 2006-2007.  

[ChrisM]

I must say, the cold actually really hasn't bothered me as much as it used to in past years. Perhaps I'm just dressing properly but walking around Hartford yesterday and last night and going outside just now I wasn't freaking out trying to get inside. Actually makes me miss the brutal cold I felt up in LSC back in 2006-2007.

Maybe you eclipsed 115 lbs?

[OceanStWx]

Sebago is always notorious for freezing later in the season due to it's depth.  300ft+.  It's the deepest lake in Maine.

 

 

Right, huge difference between Sebago and Winnipesaukee. They are only about 100 feet different on max depth (316 vs. 212), but over 50 feet different in average depth (107 ft to 40-45 ft).

[weatherwiz]

Maybe you eclipsed 115 lbs?

 

 

When I was in elementary school and part of middle school the cold never bothered me.  I would be outside in just a light jacket but then I started getting older and the cold just sucked.  I would cramp up and my body would get all stiff and it would suck.  But that hasn't happened to me so far and I'm finding myself enjoying the cold at times but it all depends on how I feel.