Clear Skies, but not 75...

Current Conditions:

Temperature: -12º F
Wind Chill: -12º F
Wind: 4 MPH SSE
Dew Point: -17º F
Precipitation: 0 inches in the last 24 hours

Today was actually a quite lovely day for January. The winds stayed low for the majority of the day and the temperature, while lower, wasn't really that bad. The walk to class didn't cause my toes, face or hands to freeze, so I would say that today was great. The skies were wide open and the sun shined all the brighter. The snow from the past few days has accumulated quite a bit and seems like it is in it for the long haul. Many residents of Eau Claire are still feeling the affects of the most recent snowfall both physically and mentally. My hope is that it warms up soon and snow stops!

The current conditions are very chilly, but as I stated above it was actually a pretty nice day over all. The wind is very calm at the moment and is coming from the South. We have a high pressure system sitting over the top of Wisconsin currently which is driving the winds away and creating clear skies. While it is currently balmy out, I think tomorrow will heat up a little.

My predictions from yesterday were fairly accurate, however I wasn't able to get the temperature right. I think that my skills are developing as I learn to read more weather maps. It appeared after looking at my predictions that I actually nailed quite a bit of it. Huzzah!

I predict that we will have a cold, clear weekend. The high pressure system above us looks as though it may camp out for the weekend, which brings with it cold temperatures and clear skies. I would suspect bitter cold winds over the next day or so. The forecast still calls for a slight chance of snow over the weekend, but that all depends on if a low pressure system can move into our region. If we get any snow, the weather stations say that it will be coming in tomorrow morning, however I don't see that happening between the wind direction and high pressure system. I would expect tomorrow to have clear skies! Until Monday, may the force be with you!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Current Conditions:

Temperature: 10º F
Wind Chill: feels like -1º F
Wind: 6 MPH NW
Dew point: 0º F
Precipitation: 3 inches

Today's weather was pretty crazy! As I walked to my 8 AM class this morning the amount of snow rose exponentially. By the time that class was over the roads and sidewalks were plastered with snow. Walking up the infamous hill in Eau Claire I saw many fellow students fall both down the stairs and sidewalk. Needless to say it was treacherous. As the day went on, and the low pressure system passed us heading east the skies cleared and eventually gave way to a little sun. We also had a front between two pressure systems right over the top of us where winds were coming from the east in some parts of Eau Claire and from the south in others. The temperature is dropping like a rock currently and will continue to do so as another high pressure moves and develops in our area.

The many weather sites that I utilize in the creation of my blogs says that the current conditions are cool with a wind chill advisory quickly on its way. Many of the sites predict more snow for the weekend, but I'll get back to that later. It'll be very interesting to see what happens with the Jet stream and the pressure systems seeing as though they have been moving very quickly.

Looking back on yesterday's predictions for today, it would appear that I was very correct in my forecast! Today was most definitely defined by the cloud cover, increased temperature and snow. As I learn more about the weather I will be able to make even more accurate predictions of the weather.

I predict that tomorrow will be partly cloudy with mostly clear skies. That all depends on where the front is between the low and high pressure systems in our neck of the woods. We are still very close to the low pressure, but the high pressure system from the NW could cool things down and clear the skies up. Further development of these pressure systems will give a better indication of what the weekends forecast will be. As for tomorrow, it should be cooler than today, but most likely in the higher teens depending on the cloud cover and where the surface winds are blowing from. At the moment the surface winds are blowing from the NW, which doesn't normally associate with warm weather. There really shouldn't be anymore snow either since the low pressure system has already done its damage. Come back again tomorrow for a weekend weather update!

Hot, Hot, Hot!

Current Conditions:

Temperature: 7° F
Wind Chill: Feels like -9° F
Wind: 0 MPH
Humidity: 60%
Precipitation: 0 inches in last 24 hours

The temperature is on the rise! The winds have shifted and a "heat wave" has approached Eau Claire. While the temperature is still fairly low, we should be rising rather quickly as the afternoon approaches. The skies are still clear for the time being as the high pressure systems moves south. The wind is now coming from the SW, but at relatively low speeds. Overall we have the makings of a very nice day compared to any from the last week.

The forecast for today has a high of 20° F and projected low of 17° F for tonight. The skies are projected to become more cloudy as well as the low pressure system moves in to our region. The chance of snow fall for tonight is around 50%. The wind map below shows the shift that the wind has taken.

My projections of the weather from yesterday seemed to be pretty spot on because of the temperature rise and cloud cover forming. The pressure systems and shifting of the winds were also good indicators of the trends that were to come. Still no snow and I hope that it stays that way!

I project that tomorrow will be overcast due to the low pressure system that is approaching Wisconsin. It's also probable that we will get more snow in the next 24 hours. The doppler radar doesn't show any activity in our area now, but I would keep a keen eye on it over the next 12 hours or so. The overcast should also keep it a little warmer tomorrow as well, so possibly temperatures in the low 20's or high teens. The Jet stream is still running high over the midwest which may mean more crazy weather over the next few days. When all is said and done it will be warmer over the next few days than it has been in a while!

And the Arctic Vortex lives on!

Current Conditions:

Temperature: -6° F
Wind Chill: Feels like -23° F
Wind: 1 MPH
Humidity: 68%
Precipitation: 0 inches in the last 24 hours

If there's one good thing that this high pressure system has brought in, its the clear night skies! While it is bitterly cold tonight the sky is ready to be observed. Throughout the day the temperature stayed low, however it has warmed up quite a bit from yesterday. Our winter wonderland may be frigid, but no one who loves the great white north can say that it isn't beautiful. The winds are coming out of the WSW now too which will hopefully bring some warmer air up into our region. It seems like every other school in the midwest has closed over the past few day, but Eau Claire continues to stay strong.

The weather Channel's forecast for today was clear skies with incredibly low wind chills. At one point the wind chill was near -50° F!!! The temperature never reached that low, but it did get pretty darn chilly. It was also yet another day of no precipitation, however with a low pressure system heading our way we could potentially get some snow within the next few days. The wind maps below show that the wind is coming out of the west .

My predictions from yesterday were indeed correct! I am finally starting to be able to make correlations in different aspects of the weather in order to make a somewhat accurate prediction of what the weather may be like. One key feature that has helped me in making good predictions is the pressure systems that span the U.S. High pressure systems create clear skies while low pressures create overcast.

As for my predictions for tomorrow...I think that a lot of it depends on how fast the low pressure system from the SW makes it to our region. The official forcast is partially cloudy with increasing temperatures into the 20s. I think that the morning will be partly cloudy and still pretty cold (possibly in the negatives still), but the temperture will most likely come up to the teens and twenties by the late afternoon. At that point I predict that the skies will be overcast once again. We could also potentially get snow late tomorrow night.

Only in Wisconsin...

Current Conditions:

Temperature: -1º F
Wind Chill: Feels like -35º F
Wind: 15 MPH
Humidity: 55%
Precipitation: 0 inches in the last day

It is frigid! Today's forecast can only be described as Ice cold. The only redeeming factor of the day is the fact that it is sunny! The wind is gusting out of the NW and is unbearable. The temperature is very chilly but that pesky wind is making it feel like even worse.

The weather channel's forecast for today is party cloudy, but becoming clear as the night goes on. It will also become extremely cold with temperatures dropping down to -25º F. There is also a slight (10%) chance of snow/precipitation tonight.

My predictions from Friday for the weekend were wrong in some aspects, but right in others. The Jet stream definitely shot a lot of cold air into our region, but it wasn't as overcast as I imagined it being. I think I need to learn more about pressure systems in order to give a more accurate weather reading.

I think that tomorrow will be clear like today, but really cold again. There is a high pressure system over our area and that seems to be associated with clear skies, so I think that they will continue to be open tomorrow. I think that it will continue to be cold too due to the winds coming from the north.

Welcome to the Tundra!

Current Conditons:

Temperature: 13ºF
Wind Chill: Feels like -2ºF
Wind: 13MPH
Humidity: 72%
Precipitation: 5%

As I woke up this morning I did what any sane man does during winter, I looked toward the sky hoping for sun. Alas, today is overcast. There is a breeze coming up from the SW which is gusting the current snow across our arctic wasteland. The temperature is in the low teens, but is also on the rise.

Temperature update as of 9:15 AM central time. Eau Claire appears to be in the sub-20's and looking at the current temperature that appears to be true.

 

 On a more technical note, The Weather Channel's hourly forecast suggests that Eau Claire will be getting a light snow in the later afternoon hours. Precipitation will increase to around 80%, but fall back down in the early hours of Saturday morning. The projected high for the day is 32º with a low of 5º.

Wind speed updated as of 9:05 AM central time.

Another interesting way to observe wind in our area.

I predict that tomorrow will once again be cold, cloudy and windy. A good indicator that my predictions could be correct comes from the jet streams actions. As you can see below, the jet stream is currently coming from the North and driving cold air across much of the midwest. Check up again tomorrow to see if I was right!

The website Intellicast provided the jet stream image above. The Jet stream is dipping down from the north covering the midwest in cold air.

 

Introduction to our Weather

Introduction

This blog will aim at providing you, the reader, with daily updates of the weather in Eau Claire, WI throughout the Spring 2014 semester at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. As the semester progresses my ability to both read and predict the weather will become better and hopefully my blog posts will suggest the same. This blog will contain my observations of the weather conditions, such as precipitation, cloud type, cloud cover wind direction and speed along with several other factors.

I hope that you enjoy the updates on the weather and continue to read throughout the year!