By Meteorologist Tom Skilling
It happened again Wednesday. For the 40th time since meteorological winter 2011-12 began Dec. 1 Chicago's official high temperature reached 40-degrees.
It's rare for a winter season to record THAT many 40-degree or warmer readings by now. The 141 year average of 40s here by Feb. 15 is 21!
Underscoring the unusual nature of so many 40s by this point in the cold season is the fact that only two other meteorological winters have managed 40 days with temperatures that mild since observations began at O'Hare in 1959. The first was in the 1998-99 winter season, when 41 daily highs equaled or topped 40-degrees; then again in winter 2001-02 with 42 such readings.
Extraordinary warmth continues--Winter 2011-12's "above normal" days more than twice the "below normal" days
By almost any metric, this winter's unseasonable "warmth" has proven a real eye-catcher! 60 of the first 77 days since meteorological winter opened on Dec. 1 have posted surpluses, more than doubling last winter's tally of 28 above normal days by now.
February's first 15 days are running 5.4-degrees milder than normal and more than 11-degrees milder than the same period a year ago!
Sun to emerge from Thursday morning's clouds producing still another 40+ high
Sunshine's to break from the clouds late Thursday morning and early afternoon. This all but assures hitting 40-degrees again Thursday---with mid-40s predicted Friday!
California storm system, responsible Wednesday for funnel clouds , 1 ft. snows in Los Angeles' mountains, an unseasonable chill and gusty winds on Wednesday; system to reform over the Gulf of Mexico
The latest Pacific storm to sweep onto the West Coast sent an unseasonable chill into southern California Wednesday while blanketing the mountains surrounding Los Angeles with up to a foot of snow.
Daytime highs at Los Angeles, San Diego and Palm Springs were just 57, 62 and 60-degrees---well below normals in those cities of 69, 72 and 65-degrees.
Blustery showers were reported and howling winds exceeded 40 mph at some locations. A few gusts to 70 mph were predicted.
But perhaps most interesting---and at the same time a reflection of the strength of the eastbound California storm system---was a report of three funnel clouds spotted just off the Huntington Beach by a life guard. The funnels dissipated and produced no damage. But funnels tend to spin up when the atmosphere is especially unstable---i.e. when temperatures are falling rapidly with height. It's the sort of set-up in which air is rendered buoyant and encouraged to rise. It's not unusual for this rising air to take on a rotary circulation which leads to funnel formation.
Storm to join forces this weekend with colder Canadian high pressure, setting up full-fetch "NNE" winds here; some lake snow showers could result here later Saturday into Sunday
The California storm is to re-develop over the northwest Gulf of Mexico Friday. From there, models guide the system northeastward into the central Appalachians. Its circulation in combination with a Canadian high pressure predicted to ridge into the Midwest threatens to set up a "full-fetch" northerly wind regime late Saturday and Saturday night. Such a flow could lead to lake-effect snow flurries and snow showers moving into the Chicago area.
It happened again Wednesday. For the 40th time since meteorological winter 2011-12 began Dec. 1 Chicago's official high temperature reached 40-degrees.
It's rare for a winter season to record THAT many 40-degree or warmer readings by now. The 141 year average of 40s here by Feb. 15 is 21!
Underscoring the unusual nature of so many 40s by this point in the cold season is the fact that only two other meteorological winters have managed 40 days with temperatures that mild since observations began at O'Hare in 1959. The first was in the 1998-99 winter season, when 41 daily highs equaled or topped 40-degrees; then again in winter 2001-02 with 42 such readings.
Extraordinary warmth continues--Winter 2011-12's "above normal" days more than twice the "below normal" days
By almost any metric, this winter's unseasonable "warmth" has proven a real eye-catcher! 60 of the first 77 days since meteorological winter opened on Dec. 1 have posted surpluses, more than doubling last winter's tally of 28 above normal days by now.
February's first 15 days are running 5.4-degrees milder than normal and more than 11-degrees milder than the same period a year ago!
Sun to emerge from Thursday morning's clouds producing still another 40+ high
Sunshine's to break from the clouds late Thursday morning and early afternoon. This all but assures hitting 40-degrees again Thursday---with mid-40s predicted Friday!
California storm system, responsible Wednesday for funnel clouds , 1 ft. snows in Los Angeles' mountains, an unseasonable chill and gusty winds on Wednesday; system to reform over the Gulf of Mexico
The latest Pacific storm to sweep onto the West Coast sent an unseasonable chill into southern California Wednesday while blanketing the mountains surrounding Los Angeles with up to a foot of snow.
Daytime highs at Los Angeles, San Diego and Palm Springs were just 57, 62 and 60-degrees---well below normals in those cities of 69, 72 and 65-degrees.
Blustery showers were reported and howling winds exceeded 40 mph at some locations. A few gusts to 70 mph were predicted.
But perhaps most interesting---and at the same time a reflection of the strength of the eastbound California storm system---was a report of three funnel clouds spotted just off the Huntington Beach by a life guard. The funnels dissipated and produced no damage. But funnels tend to spin up when the atmosphere is especially unstable---i.e. when temperatures are falling rapidly with height. It's the sort of set-up in which air is rendered buoyant and encouraged to rise. It's not unusual for this rising air to take on a rotary circulation which leads to funnel formation.
Storm to join forces this weekend with colder Canadian high pressure, setting up full-fetch "NNE" winds here; some lake snow showers could result here later Saturday into Sunday
The California storm is to re-develop over the northwest Gulf of Mexico Friday. From there, models guide the system northeastward into the central Appalachians. Its circulation in combination with a Canadian high pressure predicted to ridge into the Midwest threatens to set up a "full-fetch" northerly wind regime late Saturday and Saturday night. Such a flow could lead to lake-effect snow flurries and snow showers moving into the Chicago area.
