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February Pattern Disco


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Notice that the projected geopotential heights on the ECMWF ensemble mean for early February is an apparent reflection of the stratospheric state. Very strong wave-1 forcing (up to record daily high wave heights actually, around 1700 gpm at 10hpa) will be pushing the 10-70hpa vortex off the pole and toward northern Europe by the beginning of February. We have some bottom-up activity but also the true upper stratospheric perturbation via the wave-1. In response, 500mb heights quickly rise across the pole, forcing the return of the -AO. Depending upon the resolution of the stratospheric event, we may have a period in the first 7-10 days of February in which the AO is negative while contemporaneously the NAO persists in a positive state via the influence of the vortex sitting near NW Europe. As I posted last week, the anomalously strong condition of the vortex may prevent a major SSW, but I think a minor SSW will probably occur in that Jan 30-Feb 4 period. Typically a wave-1 of this extreme amplitude would have no problem inducing a major SSW, but this vortex isn't going down without a fight. Some ensemble members suggest a major SSW, but I'm doubting it right now. The ECMWF on the berlin site nearly reversed the zonal winds at 1 hpa at the beginning of February.

 

Nonetheless, there will be more than sufficient stratospheric perturbation continuing to prevent the resumption of mean +NAM conditions in the troposphere. If we continue to shift that vortex over toward Europe, I would anticipate that modelling becomes more bullish on Greenland geopotential height rises as well.

 

Tropospherically, Pacific +AAM, current GWO state, and location of strongest upper divergence are suggestive of the retrogression of the West Coast trough [Feb 1-2] back into the GOAK/Aleutians for February. Thus, the idea of +PNA / SE US trough is pretty high confidence for February. I think we'll attempt a neutral to potentially -EPO at times; climatologically, stronger Nino's feature their most conducive EPO pattern in February. We'll see. I'm fairly confident we're looking at a favorable PNA / EPO / AO state overall for early February. The NAO, again, may lag due to that vortex presence, but it too should eventually flip back negative.

 

Bottom line, winter, I continue to think, just began snowfall wise in the Northeast.

Yes.

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In fact, Will had even mentioned the ENS had gone to a more cold overrunning look yesterday, so I was asking the mets if that idea was still possible

 

Didn't really trend any better the last couple runs...there's a high up there, but if that energy is compact, the storm will cut right into it. That's just the reality with some of these overrunning type setups. There is more than enough time for it to trend colder...but of course that doesn't mean it will.

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I received 8, so I'm still hungry too lol. Hopefully we get some winter in February for all of SNE. The Mid Atlantic Snow Geese got fed very well with the Blizzard over the weekend, not so much up this way. And for the people to the Northeast of CT, it's even worse.

ECT and points E and NE go theirs last winter. I'm not feeling sorry for them one bit.

I'm hoping for one more big system that brings folks west of the river in ma and ct some joy.

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