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50 minutes ago, Brian5671 said:

Last 8-9 years, hard to bet against the warmth which always seems to be longer and stronger than expected....

I'm no scientist but my experience of 61 years is that if you have not had a good event by mid-Feb, you ain't gonna get one. Actually, mid-Dec really....there are notable exceptions and that is what we can hope for. If not, I break out the fishing gear. 

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1 minute ago, weatherpruf said:

I'm no scientist but my experience of 61 years is that if you have not had a good event by mid-Feb, you ain't gonna get one. Actually, mid-Dec really....there are notable exceptions and that is what we can hope for. If not, I break out the fishing gear. 

Years with zero Dec snow do not bode well for a big snowfall winter.  Exceptions of course but as a rule what happens in Dec the winter will remember

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18 minutes ago, LibertyBell said:

I remember reading about this-- this may have been the coldest winter on record for the northeast! I wonder how much snow fell? 100" here?

1780 - The coldest day of the coldest month of record in the northeastern U.S. A British Army thermometer in New York City registered a reading of 16 degrees below zero. During that infamous hard winter the harbor was frozen solid for five weeks, and the port was cut off from sea supply. (David Ludlum)

"

The winter that year was bad.  Over the course of the winter, New Jersey had twenty six snowstorms and six of those were blizzards!  Every saltwater inlet from North Carolina to Canada froze over completely.   In fact, New York Harbor froze over with ice so thick that British soldiers were able to march from Manhattan to Staten Island.

George Washington decided to place his army at Morristown, New Jersey for winter quarters.  When they arrived at the encampment site in November 1779 there was already a foot of snow on the ground.  Some snowfalls dropped more than four feet of snow with snow drifts over six feet.  The temperature only made it above freezing a couple times in the whole winter.  Officers remembered ink freezing in their quill pens and one surgeon recorded that “we experienced one of the most tremendous snowstorms ever remembered; no man could endure its violence many minutes without danger to his life. … When the storm subsided, the snow was from four to six feet deep, obscuring the very traces of the roads by covering fences that lined them.”"

 

 

https://emergingrevolutionarywar.org/2016/01/23/the-hard-winter-of-1779-1780/

 

 

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18 minutes ago, Brian5671 said:

Years with zero Dec snow do not bode well for a big snowfall winter.  Exceptions of course but as a rule what happens in Dec the winter will remember

If by the end of January the long range maps do not hint of any cold air, you can usually stick a fork in it.  

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1 hour ago, EastonSN+ said:

Just for discussion purposes (not necessarily my thoughts about the ultimate outcome), the 2nd least amount of snowfall for CPK was 3.8 in 1918/1919. Can this winter take 2nd place?

The second lowest was actually 2.8" in 1972-73. The Southeast had a mega snowstorm during that winter.

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2 hours ago, snowman19 said:

Read Judah Cohen’s blog. The SPV is about to go on roids and the stratosphere gets ice cold by the start of February. We are in big trouble 

Probably too late to matter, if it did that the impacts would not take hold til mid March when we'd be done anyway...I still think 2/12-3/5 is going to likely average below normal though I am wondering if the MA might be more favorable for any storm track

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The latest CFSv2 provides what might be plausibly a "bad case" scenario for February. It essentially provides a map that is a composite of February 1992, 1998, and 2016. Even those cases saw variation in day-to-day temperatures, including several days with a composite mean temperature that was at or below 32°.

image.png.92d60f016bb7871d3771924e946ecc37.png

Composite February 1992, 1998, and 2016 Temperature Anomalies:

image.png.4bf26dd9be769a923c260c37d65f62d7.png

Composite Daily Temperature Data for New York City: February 1992, 1998, and 2016:

image.png.d167c47150650fbd377be7d3c8fd5f7d.png

In sum, even as February looks to get off to a mild start, which is consistent with strong El Niño climatology and also consistent with the cases implied by the latest CFSv2 monthly forecast, there should be some colder periods. Depending on the timing and track of storms, there could be at least some opportunities for snowfall. There is no guarantee that the month will be a snowy one, but the base case is that there should be some snowfall.

It should be noted that monthly forecasts from this point in time on the CFSv2 do not have high skill. However, the model does show some skill at this point in time. Different outcomes remain possible. The map was used for illustrative purposes to show what a plausible bad case could look like.

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2 minutes ago, donsutherland1 said:

The latest CFSv2 provides what might be plausibly a "bad case" scenario for February. It essentially provides a map that is a composite of February 1992, 1998, and 2016. Even those cases saw variation in day-to-day temperatures, including several days with a composite mean temperature that was at or below 32°.

image.png.92d60f016bb7871d3771924e946ecc37.png

Composite February 1992, 1998, and 2016 Temperature Anomalies:

image.png.4bf26dd9be769a923c260c37d65f62d7.png

Composite Daily Temperature Data for New York City: February 1992, 1998, and 2016:

image.png.d167c47150650fbd377be7d3c8fd5f7d.png

In sum, even as February looks to get off to a mild start, which is consistent with strong El Niño climatology and also consistent with the cases implied by the latest CFSv2 monthly forecast, there should be some colder periods. Depending on the timing and track of storms, there could be at least some opportunities for snowfall. There is no guarantee that the month will be a snowy one, but the base case is that there should be some snowfall.

It should be noted that monthly forecasts from this point in time on the CFSv2 do not have high skill. However, the model does show some skill at this point in time. Different outcomes remain possible. The map was used for illustrative purposes to show what a plausible bad case could look like.

I think this is a really good take, Don. We should at least get some favorable periods in February. But winter lovers have to wait out long stretches of mild a lot nowadays. Even in the heart of winter.

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20 minutes ago, donsutherland1 said:

The latest CFSv2 provides what might be plausibly a "bad case" scenario for February. It essentially provides a map that is a composite of February 1992, 1998, and 2016. Even those cases saw variation in day-to-day temperatures, including several days with a composite mean temperature that was at or below 32°.

image.png.92d60f016bb7871d3771924e946ecc37.png

Composite February 1992, 1998, and 2016 Temperature Anomalies:

image.png.4bf26dd9be769a923c260c37d65f62d7.png

Composite Daily Temperature Data for New York City: February 1992, 1998, and 2016:

image.png.d167c47150650fbd377be7d3c8fd5f7d.png

In sum, even as February looks to get off to a mild start, which is consistent with strong El Niño climatology and also consistent with the cases implied by the latest CFSv2 monthly forecast, there should be some colder periods. Depending on the timing and track of storms, there could be at least some opportunities for snowfall. There is no guarantee that the month will be a snowy one, but the base case is that there should be some snowfall.

It should be noted that monthly forecasts from this point in time on the CFSv2 do not have high skill. However, the model does show some skill at this point in time. Different outcomes remain possible. The map was used for illustrative purposes to show what a plausible bad case could look like.

Don it's a strong Nino. No surprise, they are always warm and your only shot is a big storm. Most of those winters are mild and snowless like this one.

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4 hours ago, bluewave said:

Even in this new era of warmth extremes, what is showing up to start February is way beyond what we have ever seen during an El Niño February. The highly amplified MJO over the WPAC is flipping the script. This would be extreme for December let alone in February when El Niño’s are supposed to be cold. Ridiculous how far into Canada the above freezing line gets pushed. 
 

22412767-FE63-4EF1-B21C-BF1034D5EEDA.thumb.png.df519a65670867039eed84814a877c2e.png
7F8852D2-9897-4B26-8AA6-A2D727F46BEC.thumb.png.397c0b3461cf70184224fc51be63d4b9.png

Quite the extreme flips across Canada. From historic warmth in Dec to an historic cold outbreak last week to historic warmth next week lol. 

Although Calgary can experience chinooks, they could hit the low 60s by next week (which is unusual). Regina, SK, more closer to the Plains/Midwest, is well above freezing by next week. Historic warmth across the west. A lot of extremes over the last couple of years. 

https://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/ab-52_metric_e.html

https://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/sk-32_metric_e.html

The massive ridge doesn't help the drought situation across the Canadian Prairies and could also mean another big wildfire season and more smoke days for all of us out east. 

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3 minutes ago, WX-PA said:

Don it's a strong Nino. No surprise, they are always warm and your only shot is a big storm. Most of those winters are mild and snowless like this one.

Usually, there's at least one moderate (4" or above snowfall). Based on the DJF R3.4 Anomaly of +1.5 or above:

1877-78: No 6" or above storms (biggest: 5.0"); 8.1" seasonal snowfall

1888-89: No 6" or above storms (biggest: 5.5")

1957-58: Three 6" or above storms (biggest: 11.8")

1965-66: Two 6" or above storms (biggest: 6.8")

1972-73: No 6" or above storms; 2.8" seasonal snowfall.

1982-83: One 6" or above storm (17.6")

1991-92: One 6" or above storm (6.2")

1997-98: No 6" or above storms (biggest: 5.0"); 5.5" seasonal snowfall

2009-10: Three 6" or above storms (all 10" or more; biggest: 20.9")

2015-16: One 6" or above storm (record 27.5")

Borderline cases just below the trimonthly threshold:

1896-97: Two 6" or above storms (biggest: 10.0")

1918-19: No 6" or above storms; seasonal snowfall: 3.8"

Overall, I don't think NYC will see a snowy winter. My guess for the AmericanWx contest was 15.0" seasonal snowfall. But it's probably more likely than not that NYC hasn't seen its biggest snowfall this winter.

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2 hours ago, Brian5671 said:

Years with zero Dec snow do not bode well for a big snowfall winter.  Exceptions of course but as a rule what happens in Dec the winter will remember

Agreed, '14-'15 is like the only exception I can think of in my lifetime...maybe '04-05? Can't remember that December.

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15 minutes ago, donsutherland1 said:

Usually, there's at least one moderate (4" or above snowfall). Based on the DJF R3.4 Anomaly of +1.5 or above:

1877-78: No 6" or above storms (biggest: 5.0"); 8.1" seasonal snowfall

1888-89: No 6" or above storms (biggest: 5.5")

1957-58: Three 6" or above storms (biggest: 11.8")

1965-66: Two 6" or above storms (biggest: 6.8")

1972-73: No 6" or above storms; 2.8" seasonal snowfall.

1982-83: One 6" or above storm (17.6")

1991-92: One 6" or above storm (6.2")

1997-98: No 6" or above storms (biggest: 5.0"); 5.5" seasonal snowfall

2009-10: Three 6" or above storms (all 10" or more; biggest: 20.9")

2015-16: One 6" or above storm (record 27.5")

Borderline cases just below the trimonthly threshold:

1896-97: Two 6" or above storms (biggest: 10.0")

1918-19: No 6" or above storms; seasonal snowfall: 3.8"

Overall, I don't think NYC will see a snowy winter. My guess for the AmericanWx contest was 15.0" seasonal snowfall. But it's probably more likely than not that NYC hasn't seen its biggest snowfall this winter.

Thanks as always Don,

I find it interesting that our better years fall into the two highly snowy periods of 1955 through 1969 as well as 2000 through 2018. Is there an apparent cause for these periods? I believe per the MA forum that 2000 through 2018 was a positive PNA regime as compared to the RNA regime previously and currently. Do you know if 1955 through 1969 had a predominant PNA as well?

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4 hours ago, bluewave said:

The Arctic region shifts with the anomalous +3 AO following the SSW will probably take further research. It is also a very warm signal for us while working in concert with the tropical convection pattern. Several years back there were papers showing a possible link between the Indian Ocean convection and +AO. So it will be interesting to see if such a strong +AO following this SSW is in any related to the recent record Indian Ocean forcing. We usually don’t see such strong forcing there at the time of SSWs. Would probably be a great project for a research paper. 

I don't see how it would be given the strato-cross section view.  Could be wrong, but it appears to be a top-down cooling response in this scenario.

 

There's some wave breaking potential for mid-feb.

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9 minutes ago, NittanyWx said:

I don't see how it would be given the strato-cross section view.  Could be wrong, but it appears to be a top-down cooling response in this scenario.

 

There's some wave breaking potential for mid-feb.

It’s going to take further research from a team that has access to university computer modeling. I have read numerous studies in the last 5 years on how important tropical convection is in either strengthening or weakening the polar vortex. 

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Just now, bluewave said:

It’s going to take further research from a team that has access to university computer modeling. I have read numerous studies in the last 5 years on how important tropical convection is in either strengthening or weakening the polar vortex. 

For the majority of the winter we have had a weak vortex. Normally that’s a good sign for cold,  but it has only produced one chilly week this winter. 

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5 hours ago, bluewave said:

Even in this new era of warmth extremes, what is showing up to start February is way beyond what we have ever seen during an El Niño February. The highly amplified MJO over the WPAC is flipping the script. This would be extreme for December let alone in February when El Niño’s are supposed to be cold. Ridiculous how far into Canada the above freezing line gets pushed. 
 

22412767-FE63-4EF1-B21C-BF1034D5EEDA.thumb.png.df519a65670867039eed84814a877c2e.png
7F8852D2-9897-4B26-8AA6-A2D727F46BEC.thumb.png.397c0b3461cf70184224fc51be63d4b9.png

February 1998 was one of the warmest February's on record. A few other strong Nino February's also were mild, although none close to 1998. With an expected flip by mid month to much colder weather it's way too premature to say this has never been seen in a strong nino before.

 

Although this winter has been dominated by mild weather (as you would expect in a strong nino), the past 10 days to 2 weeks is as severe a deep winter stretch as you will ever see during a strong Nino in the Midwest and Great Lakes. Things don't always follow script. So buckle up for your late Feb noreaster ;)

 

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5 minutes ago, Allsnow said:

For the majority of the winter we have had a weak vortex. Normally that’s a good sign for cold,  but it has only produced one chilly week this winter. 

the fast PAC has been the story of the winter so far-2 big jet extensions and neither storm was able to amplify last week due to the fast flow....

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