We saw a significant temperature contrast on the Plains alone yesterday, never mind from one side of the country to the other. While 100s reached as far north as central Kansas yesterday afternoon, temperatures were stuck in the upper 30s, low 40s in North Dakota where it was SNOWING! It’s snowing in parts of northern Minnesota and Wisconsin this morning.

This was the scene just north of Williston, ND while a mere 600 miles to the south, it was a record 102 in Wichita, KS, the earliest 100 on record there.

Here’s the scene out of Land O Lakes, WI this morning.

Radar off the weather.com mobile phone app showed the snow falling this morning across N Minnesota.

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The Great Lakes remains abnormally ICY with 19% of the surface still frozen.

36% of Lake Superior remains ice covered.

Check out this Duluth web cam shot as daylight began to emerge over Lake Superior. ICE as far as the eye can see!!

California Cools While Plains, Midwest And Eventually East Heats Up!

The heat that’s baked Southern California late last week and through the weekend shifted into the southern and central Plains yesterday. It topped 112 Saturday in Death Valley which was the hottest in the Lower 48 this year.

This was the scene Saturday morning looking towards Downtown Los Angeles from USCA.

Check out the same view this morning. Very different!

Los Angeles is seeing the return of ONSHORE winds and marine layer early to mid week as a trough drops south. Rather than upper 80s, low 90s of late, by Tuesday, I expect highs to only make the upper 60s across much of the LA Basin with 70s in the valleys and canyons, that’s a good 10 degrees below average for early May while just 2 days ago it was nearly 20 above.

Here was the setup in the atmosphere which brought the record heat to California.

All that warmth means NO more snow on top Big Bear Mountain.

As the week progresses, ridging rebuilds into California from the Pacific but till then, showers and thunderstorms in the next couple of days look likely to remain north of LA and San Diego.

Just look at the difference in temps compared to late last week. Winds blowing in from the ocean will be brisk along the coast.

Here was the national highs yesterday.

Cloudless sky over Independence, Kansas heralds another hot day on the Plains. High: 90s, low 100s!

GFS anticipated highs today! The ridge as it slides east will flatten to a degree, major heat won’t reach the Lakes and Northeast like we’re seeing in the South, though Chicago may well see it’s first 80s.

Southern Plains

Tuesday

Be sure to check out recent North America write-ups and videos for the severe weather and tornado threat late this week as the trough rolls east Wednesday on.

As for the upcoming 1-4 week period. We look to see much the same kind of setup, transient! The trough dives south over the West early this week then slides east replacing the heat with more below normal temps. That will be followed by another major ridge building back into California from the Pacific next weekend.

The CFSv2 shows this nicely.

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