March 1, 2018

First Day of March!

Current Conditions

Temperature: 28 °F
Dew Point: 20 °F
Winds: 0 mph
Pressure: 1025.4 mb
Visibility: 10 miles

 Today was another gorgeous day in Eau Claire. The temperature this morning was 31 °F with winds W at 6 mph. The temperature peaked at 41 °F with clear, sunny skies. Winds have since died down but the temperature remains in the upper 20s which is still very warm for this time of year. The high pressure system in the area is the reason for the clear skies but warm air from the south is still giving mild temperatures along with the March sun. 

The east and west coasts of the United States are experiencing some pretty interesting weather due to some low pressure fronts (figure 1). 

Figure 1. Surface map of the United States.

 From the map one can see the high pressure system dominating the Midwest causing the clear, sunny skies. A series of low pressure systems on the west and east coasts however are causing rain, thunderstorms, snow, and sleet. The moisture for these systems is coming from the oceans and is being pulled ashore by prevailing winds (figure 2). 
 

Figure 2. Surface winds. The low pressure systems on the east and west coast are evident by the counterclockwise motion of the air circulation patterns.

The air from the oceans is full of moisture content which is fueling the storms that are present. 

Previous Prediction

My previous prediction was off. The temperature was the same as yesterday, there were no clouds except for this morning and now snow. 

Prediction

For tomorrow, I predict much of the same as today except lower temperatures. This is due to the high pressure air mass that is dominating the Midwest. However temperatures will still be mild and be in the 30s.