DOES OCTOBER’S RECORD BREAKING COLD AND SNOW SO EARLY TELL US WHAT MAY LIE AHEAD?
I wonder, with the severity of cold that hit unusually early and where it hit, whether this could be a sign of what COULD happen later this winter. I was very upfront early on that I believed this winter was different to any of the past decade and with different signalling, that suggested to me that the potential for Arctic air to be more severe was higher simply because of reading the pattern of previous winters and aligning those winters up with other driving forces such as El Nino following the strong La Nina, the collapse of the warm PDO and the increasing strength of the cold PDO around 2007-08. Even the fact that there was less sea ice melt this summer, did this allow a rapidly intensifying batch of Arctic air to form and then with the pattern in place, the meridional flow forced this unusually cold air south.
But, it was the strength of this cold air for early October that surprised me. Was this in relation to the fact that chilly air was present in the mid to upper levels throughout the summer and therefore easier for the Arctic to work with already “chilly” air and therefore the Arctic air pulled the cold air aloft down to the surface?
Last winter in Europe also could be an early sign of cooling. I believe North America has already commenced it’s downward trend in NET temperture from the 1998 peak with the PDO being one of the driving forces that is forcing North America to cool off. Europe is slower with a warm Atlantic still but after last winter and now with a colder North Atlantic this year. Things are still well in line with what could be a very significant winter for cold and snow.
Like Joe Bastardi and other long range forecasters have stated, in order to see maximum cold from the Lakes to Atlantic, we need to see the Pacific/ El Nino warm BEFORE it cools!
The solar cycle is what is a major player in why I am seperating 2002-2003 from 2009-10 with this winter ahead being worse. Also the cooldown has begun, we see a colder Pacific, North America is colder now than a few years ago after back to back cold winters which have been centered from Wyoming to Wisconsin. Canada has seen two straight winters that have been severe. The Arctic is recovering with less ice melt in 2009 than 2008 and 2007.
By combining all players, I still am driving home the idea we shall see a significant winter and I shall give you my full thoughts and ideas on October 31 when I issue my final winter forecast for the UK-Europe and United States.
Thanks for reading.
-Mark






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