It’s been an extremely cold first week of December across much of the Western and Central United States, perhaps the coldest start to a December since 1983 but as is often the case, when it’s extremely cold in one place, there’s often quite the opposite elsewhere, that opposite is the Southeast and Florida where it’s been exceptionally warm. The below chart shows US temperature anomalies through the first 6 days of the month.
US temperature anomalies through the first 6 days. Via Jon Erdman of TWC.
Yesterday morning saw a rather extreme temperature map across the US. As of 7am yesterday AM, while it was -28 at Glasgow, Mont, it was a summer-like 83 at Ft Myers, Fla. The Florida state capitol of Tallahassee, warmed to 84 yesterday afternoon which tied for the warmest December day on record, Jacksonville’s 83 was 1 degree shy of tying the all-time December record, in STARK contrast the high in Miles City, Mont was a brutal -17 which smashed the old record high for the date of -9 back in 1972.
Here was the high’s from yesterday across the nation.
Yesterday morning started with the coldest start for many across the Interior Pacific Northwest, Northern Rockies even western Dakotas in many years with lows widely into the -10s, -20s even -30s with a few -40s showing up.
The coldest of all was Jordan, Mont where the thermometer plunged to -42 which was 50 below normal and according to the NWS, a top 10 all-time coldest temperature for the site. Miles City fell to -36 which was the coldest reading here since 1996. Billings, Mont hit -21 which was the first -20 or lower since 1997. Havre, MT hit -39. The highs which followed later yesterday also broke many record low maximums including Billings which only reached -13, Glasgow, MT -15.
Parts Of Oregon Is Coldest In 41 Years!
While the focus of bitter cold was over the Northern Rockies yesterday, this morning it’s over Oregon where we’re seeing some of the coldest temperatures on record. As early as 9pm last night, Eugene, OR was down to 3 which was the coldest reading there since 1972. It fell to -10 just before sunrise this morning which is considered the 2nd coldest reading on record here. Redmond, OR fell may have tied their all-time record of -28 set back in 1972 this morning.
Here was the temperatures as of 7am this morning across the Northwest via the NWS.
As you can see it plunged as low as -22 at Alturas in NE California this morning, brrr.
Here’s an excellent graphic courtesy of the NWS Medford which shows the bitter lows witnessed across Oregon this morning. Medford’s low of 3 was the coldest in 23 years. Check out the bone-chilling -38 at Silver Lake.
Southern Plains To Mid-Atlantic Mess Today!
While the precip is now north and east of Texas, the sleet, freezing rain and snow which fell over the past few days has left a treacherous mess behind with snow and ice packed roads for many areas including the Dallas-Fort Worth area as seen in the traffic cam below.
The bulk of the precip ENE today across the central Appalachians and really picked up in a swath extending from eastern West Virginia through northern Maryland into Greater Philadelphia and surrounding areas. Rain, sleet, freezing rain and snow affected a large area from Kansas to New Jersey throughout this morning.
Ralph Fato, based in Connecticut always produces great weather graphics and here’s another capturing temperature along with precip and type earlier this morning. As you can see the bulk of the moisture was back west of the major cities but through the afternoon, this swath has progressed across the Big Cities.
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A little earlier, the WeatherBug camera showed snow falling heavy in Frederick, MD.
Harrisonburg, VA.
The snow really began filling in over the Capitol region as you can see from the below graphic courtesy of WUSA9.
Here’s a great cam shot of the Capitol Building in DC sent to me by meteorologist Howard Bernstein.
Another graphic from later this afternoon via Ralph Fato shows an intense band with 1-3″ per hour snow rates from eastern WV through northern MD right across Philadelphia and into central Jersey.
That tremendous snow band has created incredible scenes at the Eagles vs Lions NFL game in Philadelphia.
Snow Eases, Milder Air Arrives From DC to Boston But More Cold Looms Back West!
The worst of the snow tapers off overnight tonight as the system pushes into New York and New England but across DC, Baltimore and Philly, you turn to moderate, perhaps heavy rain for a time overnight as warmer air begins to work north. Highs tomorrow warm nicely to around 40 BUT colder air regroups and dives into the Upper Midwest which will heads for the Mid-Atlantic by midweek.
Check out these temperatures through the upcoming days. Live in Chicago? The coldest nights are yet to come.
Mon highs
Looks like Jacksonville takes another run at it’s all-time December record tomorrow while TWC expect mid-40s up as far as NYC but I suspect areas which have snow cover despite a change to rain will hold into the upper 30s including Philly.
Tue highs
Fresh Push Of Bitter Cold
Back to the mid-30s from DC north as colder air pushes from the Midwest.
Tues night lows.
Note the fresh push of arctic air into Minnesota by Wednesday morning, that brings the return of MUCH colder air into Chicago, Indianapolis and the Big Cities of the I-95 mid to late week with snow on the leading edge which could bring the first multi-inch snowfall to Chicago.
Wed highs
Notice Minneapolis struggles to get much above freezing while it’s snowing and in the mid-20s in Chicago.
Wed night lows
Note the low in Chicago. IF there’s a decent snow cover, we could see it push 0.
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