February 7, 2018

Surprise Snowfall

Current Conditions:

Temperature: 12 degrees, feels like 1 degree
Humidity: 56%
Winds: W 8 mph
Pressure: 1030.1 mb
Visibility: 10 miles

On my way to McPhee Strength Center this morning around 6:00 AM I was surprised with about an inch of snow and still more falling!

Figure 1. Snow falling around 6:00 AM outside of the Hilltop Cafe.

 I definitely was not expecting to have snow this morning with the polar air mass sitting over Wisconsin yesterday.  By 8:00 AM the temperature was 5 degrees with NNW winds at 1 mph and fluffy clouds dotting the sky (approximately 40% cloud cover).  Temperatures peaked at 12 degrees around noon today with winds WNW at 5 mph and sunny skies the rest of the day.  Although relatively little snow was dumped on the Midwest, winter storm Liam is now heading to the Northeast and is expected to create hazardous precipitation including snow, sleet, ice and rain.  A plane even slipped off the runway because of the ice! Figure 2 below shows the radar view of the Northeast and winter storm Liam. To read more, go here.

Figure 2. Winter storm Liam as it hits the Northeast.  The colors represent different precipitation types. (Courtesy of Weather Underground).

My prediction from yesterday was partially correct.  Temperatures were warmer and did indeed reach the teens with winds out of the west.  However I failed to predict the snowfall from winter storm Liam.  Overall the basic trends were predicted fairly well. 

For tomorrow, I predict that temperatures will stay in the teens and there will be some light winds again like today.  I don't foresee any precipitation with the polar air mass still over Wisconsin, but I wouldn't mind some more snow and warmer temperatures!