Motorists stand in traffic jam during a snowfall on the Moscow ring road, in Russia, 29 November 2012. (SERGEI ILNITSKY – EPA)
Not only has the cold been rapidly intensifying over the Northern Hemisphere’s key source region ‘Siberia’, it has been significantly expanding right across Northern Asia and now extending into Europe too. A similar rapid expanse of snow cover has been observed across Canada and Alaska with readings currently down to at least 51 below zero F in the Yukon. The entire pattern couldn’t be more different to last year and much more similar to 2009-10 and 2010-11.
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In just the past 7-10 days, snow cover has dramatically increased and as it gains more ground, so the cold reservoir grows and deepens. This is how cold air is made. Latest satellite measurement shows that practically ALL of Russia is now snow covered while over 90-95% of Canada is also white and the temperatures day by day that are running 5-20F below normal reflect this unusually early, ‘large’ expanse of snow cover.
The above snow cover map and projected temperature anomalies for the 16 days days ‘below’, correlate well, matching the snow cover with cold air well.above.
Courtesy/Owned by Weatherbell Models
The more ground the snow covers, the more the cold air gains too. The vast snowfields across Northern Asia is now heading south with brutal arctic cold shots, these cold shots of ‘deep winter’ intensity is making people across Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, the Koreas and even Japan concerned about another long and harsh winter. Last year was severe and the way things are going, this year will be just as bad, perhaps worse.
It was a tough winter across much of Europe last year, the 3rd severe winter in a row. Think their getting off lightly this year? Check this map out below. By the end of this upcoming week, a large part of the continent may be covered in snow.
Courtesy/Owned by Weatherbell Models
Recent days has seen two powerful snowstorms which are ahead of the calender for ‘typical’. A snowstorm brought chaos to over 57 northern China villages, cutting power to thousands, downing many trees and brought temperatures to 14 below zero F. Several thousand miles to the west and with the cold, Siberian air rushes into Europe, the arrival of cold, slamming up against eastbound Atlantic air, brought the worst November snowstorm to Moscow in 50 years.
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Hello Mark.
Would I be right in saying that when we get a northerly air stream as we are now it never
seems to last much more than 2 days as seems to be happening now. Also in your article about the
cold over Europe and saying last winter was tough, I recall that Britain had a mild winter apart
from a cold snap in February, Would I be right in saying this.
Kindest Regards
Anthony Perry (Bristol)
PS.
I am a new member and love it, wish I new about you long ago.
Last winter was very tough for the continent or really from mid Jan through the end of Feb and yes, your right, the UK only experienced proper cold for roughly 10 days in Feb but it was close. Belgium had it’s worst cold spell since 1941, we really got off lightly but this year is looking rather different.
Thanks for joining and hope you continue to enjoy. Mark