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It was a Flop... February 2024 Disco. Thread


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February 2024 Preview

The previously referenced 1/22 to 2/5 storm window is likely to conclude with tremendous additional unrealized potential, as the combination of a southward displaced OMEGA block and a Pacific short wave acting as a kicker will ensure that a powerful southern stream shortwave can not amplify on the east coast to any degree.
 
 
AVvXsEjBjsf4iOp1d0qfTLaIuOI2PuXaPKF0QiFb

 
 

 

Thus the month of February is destined to begin just as January ended, with a large degree of unrealized potential. But the question of whether or not that will remain common theme during the month is much more nebulous.   
 
 
Quiet Start to February 2024 May be Misleading
 
February Analogs: 1958,1964,1966,1973,1977,1978,1980,1983,1995,2003,2007,2010(x2)
The world of weather can often be quite deceiving, as evidenced on a monthly level by near record levels of precipitation in the absence of extreme warmth resulting in so little snowfall along the east coast to date. There can also be deception on a seasonal level, as Mother Nature can often be quite coy about what may stand between the general public and the highly coveted a reunion with spring. And there continue to be numerous signs, as there have in past El Niño seasons, that there answer just maybe plenty.
 
This was strongly implied last fall:
The apex of intense high latitude blocking conjoins with frequent PNA flexes to mark the pinnacle of the season for winter weather fans across the eastern US, especially the mid Atlantic region. 
NAO.jpeg
PNA.jpeg
The coastal plain should be the focus, as more winter storm threats should follow the early month NESIS window. The culmination of the seasonal progression of El Niño results in a Modoki like configuration as the event decays. The recovery of the PV is accompanied by more prominent RNA to fuel modification and an early end to winter throughout most of the east late in the month and into early March. But not before another Archambault window from about February 11 through March 3, which may also place an emphasis on the Mid Atlantic.
Here is the February 2024 forecast H5 composite (1951-2010):
 
 
FEB%2051%20H5.jpeg
(1991-2010)
FEB%2091%20H5.jpeg
 
The transition from canonical early season form to full-fledged Modoki is apparent.
 
modoki.jpeg
February  is obviously the coldest month of the DM composite across the east.
February 2024 Forecast Temp Anomalies:
1951-2010:
AVvXsEhJdC2Pl0l9xKlxAmMeXTDE_oruqNN-Si-K

 
 
Temperatures range from near normal to as much as 2F below across New England to as much as 2-4F below normal across the Mid Atlantic.

 
 
1991-2020:
AVvXsEj8PROKtUUUY7LYpkKIz69ZHfi8s-y6c4h1

 

February 2024 Forecast Precip Anomalies:
1951-2010:
FEB%2051%20PRECIP.jpeg
 
 

1991-2020:
FEB%2091%20PRECIP.jpeg
 
 
 
The general thesis for this month continues to be well supported.
 
FEB%2091%20H5.jpeg
CFS%20H5.png
 
 
 
 Although perhaps the forecast departures of -2 to -4F over the mid Atlantic and near normal to +2 over New England will ultimately prove too cool yet again. 
 
AVvXsEj8PROKtUUUY7LYpkKIz69ZHfi8s-y6c4h1
 
CFS%20temps.png
 
 
Time will tell-
But what does remain clear is that the apparent quiet first half of the month seems reflected not only in the forecast analog package:
FEB%2051%20PRECIP.jpeg
But also by latest guidance.
 
CFS%20DRY.png
 
The frustration will then mount for fans of winter, as a reinvigoration of the Pacific jet leads to another warm up next week, despite the eventual return of high latitude blocking.
 
PAC.png
 
This is illustrated via the ensemble mean as simply a stochastic reaction to the breakdown of the current OMEGA block.
 
CURRENT%20OMEGA.png
 
 
The ridge weakens as is translates eastward and over the forecast area, as more energy simultaneously crashes heights to the west as part of a Rosby wave train reaction.
 
winter-weather-start-december-low-pressure-pattern-what-is-a-rossby-wave.png
 
 
 
warm%20up.png
 
This warm up will be ephemeral in nature, as the MJO is forecast by both the GFS and European suites to decrease in amplitude as it enters phase 8 by mid month.
 
 
MJO.png
 
This is congruent with tropical forcing moving into the central Pacific/Indian Ocean and weakening before potentially reemerging in the Maritime continent to induce a warm up either very late in the month of February or early in March.
 
forcing.png
 
 
This coincides with the reconfiguration of the Pacific in a potent Aleutian low regime with a powerful western CONUS ridge.
 
PHASE%208.jpeg
 
00z EPS:
REAL.png
00z GEFS:
GEFS.png
00z GEPS:
GEPS.png
 
The reinvigoration of high latitude blocking/weakening PV will this time potentially be team with the reconfigured Pacific to culminate in a period of cross polar flow and a great deal of storminess.
 
Blocking.png
pv.png
 
In the mean time, enjoy the break in the weather because the bulk of winter still awaits-
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17 minutes ago, 8611Blizz said:

The other thing people rarely mention, but was just as historic was the cold. When it locked in it was brutal to be outside for any length of time. Since most people will remember the snow but being outside on overnight work was as cold or colder than I have experienced in 35+ years.

 

Also by March of 95 I was hoping winter would just end.  I was exhausted by then.

One of those coastals arrived with an event entry temperature of +9 F here ... warmest it would be during the duration.  Routine 50 to 55 mph wind gusts creaking window and rafter transported cold-shattered snow particulates as though it were an explosion at a talcum powder refinery. 

At one point just before the storm wound down the temperature stood at -1 F with 1/8 mi vis ...

That was the worst combination of cryosophere I had experienced since the Cleveland Super Bomb Jan 25/27 1978, when it was 15F with 65 mph wind gusts over 30" of snow, the top several inches of which were in wind-driven flux.

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1 hour ago, 40/70 Benchmark said:

Kind of lacked 2015 in magnitude department, thouugh....as far as storm and peak deopth. Jan 8, 1996 was actually a bit less impressive to me than this past January 7...100% honest. I would rank it ahead.

This past January was just your average everyday minor snowfall out this way. You guys really cashed in, I think I had about 5 inches here iirc. And that's true I think the largest storm I had here in 96 was about 13 or 14 in. We just had many many free to 10 inch deals that just kept coming and coming. Honestly I prefer that to a winter with just a couple of blockbusters

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My main question is Let’s see if the pacific one again turns into something less and less favorable as we get from day 14+  to day 10 and more so inside day 7 , bc it almost reminds me of how last year heights kept being too high in the SW only to fall as we got Inside day 6-10 and shift a very good look To a so so one that worked for up and in . 

This is not me * looking for the shoe * to drop it’s really just picking up on what seems to be a trend this year regarding the pacific look deteriorating from day 15+ to inside day 7-10 on multiple occasions and wonder if there is something “in place” that i’m not astute enough to identify that models can’t identify (at this lead ) which favors such a future shift 

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2 minutes ago, STILL N OF PIKE said:

My main question is Let’s see if the pacific one again turns into something less and less favorable as we get from day 14+  to day 10 and more so inside day 7 , bc it almost reminds me of how last year heights kept being too high in the SW only to fall as we got Inside day 6-10 and shift a very good look To a so so one that worked for up and in . 

This is not me * looking for the shoe * to drop it’s really just picking up on what seems to be a trend this year regarding the pacific look deteriorating from day 15+ to inside day 7-10 on multiple occasions and wonder if there is something “in place” that i’m not astute enough to identify that models can’t identify (at this lead ) which favors such a future shift 

There are hints of that a bit at the end of the ensembles that the ridge is getting punched a bit by the Pac....I doubt this pattern has a ton of staying power as no pattern all winter really has

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2 minutes ago, STILL N OF PIKE said:

My main question is Let’s see if the pacific one again turns into something less and less favorable as we get from day 14+  to day 10 and more so inside day 7 , bc it almost reminds me of how last year heights kept being too high in the SW only to fall as we got Inside day 6-10 and shift a very good look To a so so one that worked for up and in . 

This is not me * looking for the shoe * to drop it’s really just picking up on what seems to be a trend this year regarding the pacific look deteriorating from day 15+ to inside day 7-10 on multiple occasions and wonder if there is something “in place” that i’m not astute enough to identify that models can’t identify (at this lead ) which favors such a future shift 

Based on recent history it is a valid concern... Kind of the Charlie Brown/ Lucy football scenario...

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11 minutes ago, SnowGoose69 said:

There are hints of that a bit at the end of the ensembles that the ridge is getting punched a bit by the Pac....I doubt this pattern has a ton of staying power as no pattern all winter really has

If that starts to happen…then we have a true Rat with no comeback happening.  

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16 minutes ago, SnowGoose69 said:

There are hints of that a bit at the end of the ensembles that the ridge is getting punched a bit by the Pac....I doubt this pattern has a ton of staying power as no pattern all winter really has

I don't see that at all. that Aleutian low would gradually retrograde into March

persistence forecasting wouldn't work here. this isn't a stable longwave configuration over the next 10 days

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7 minutes ago, qg_omega said:

Very bold call, I can see a week of winter like January but longer than that seems dubious

I think it takes until sometime in early March, when the PV starts to tighten up again and the MJO re-emerges from the COD into the Maritime continent.

That is also a subjective statement.....I was thinking in terms of snowfall...not a tall taks near the coast.

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Ray, what did you get in 1/29/22? I think you mentioned aside from this Jan, your best recent storm was back in March 2018. Didn’t 1/29 jackpot parts of E NE? I forget who really cashed in but I thought some areas had over 20.

That was great down here for me in coastal NJ, my biggest snowfall at 16 inches since Jan 18. 
 

@40/70 Benchmark

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6 minutes ago, Volcanic Winter said:

Ray, what did you get in 1/29/22? I think you mentioned aside from this Jan, your best recent storm was back in March 2018. Didn’t 1/29 jackpot parts of E NE? I forget who really cashed in but I thought some areas had over 20.

That was great down here for me in coastal NJ, my biggest snowfall at 16 inches since Jan 18. 
 

@40/70 Benchmark

Oh boy.  You just inadvertently triggered him!

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7 minutes ago, Volcanic Winter said:

Ray, what did you get in 1/29/22? I think you mentioned aside from this Jan, your best storm was back in March 2018. Didn’t 1/29 jackpot parts of E NE? I forget who really cashed in. 

That was great down here for me in coastal NJ, my biggest snowfall at 16 inches since Jan 18. 
 

@40/70 Benchmark

Around a foot.

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41 minutes ago, STILL N OF PIKE said:

My main question is Let’s see if the pacific one again turns into something less and less favorable as we get from day 14+  to day 10 and more so inside day 7 , bc it almost reminds me of how last year heights kept being too high in the SW only to fall as we got Inside day 6-10 and shift a very good look To a so so one that worked for up and in . 

This is not me * looking for the shoe * to drop it’s really just picking up on what seems to be a trend this year regarding the pacific look deteriorating from day 15+ to inside day 7-10 on multiple occasions and wonder if there is something “in place” that i’m not astute enough to identify that models can’t identify (at this lead ) which favors such a future shift 

This is not me saying you suck its really just me picking up on you not being very good.

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12 minutes ago, 40/70 Benchmark said:

Around a foot.

Sorry man, I knew it was somewhat spotty but I didn’t realize to that extent. I’m glad you scored so nicely in that early Jan event at least, for this year. 

Hoping things pick up as scheduled, and fingers crossed SNE to the coast joins in and gets some needed wintry love. 

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1 minute ago, 40/70 Benchmark said:

I could see it run some into March, but I think the 10th is pushing it....

Historically the stronger Nino March years have sucked but this winter has not exactly had the classic strong Nino pattern at all anyway

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2 minutes ago, 40/70 Benchmark said:

I could see it run some into March, but I think the 10th is pushing it....

why? these patterns are pretty stable once they form, and the MJO just sorta rots in the IO. IO forcing in March is cold in Ninos. I expect it to warm up by mid-month, but blocking is pesky

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