Just another day in Paradise

Current Conditions:

Temperature: 9° F
Wind Chill: -1° F
Wind: 6 MPH NE
Dew Point: 3° F
Precipitation: 0.1 inch of snow in the last 24 hours
Pressure: 1030.7 mb

This post is more of an update of yesterday and predictions for later today and tomorrow. It is just becoming brighter outside as we speak and students are beginning to roll out of their beds. The wind chill has brought the temperature back into the negatives but only slightly at -1° F. The winds are fairly low, but are still cold enough to drop the temp slightly. As can be seen from the pressure above, we are still in a high pressure dome. Yesterday's conditions were warming slightly in the afternoon, but sidewalks were very slick throughout the entire day. As today warms up even more there will hopefully be melting. The forecast for the week predicts temperatures in the 20's and a few into the 30's.


Image 1: The above image shows the sounding for Minneapolis, MN which is the nearest large station to get data from. The sounding once again shows what is called a thermal inversion where the temperature actually increases slightly in the atmosphere before the troposphere. This has caused some of the snowy conditions.

Image 2: The above image provided by UNISYS shows pressure domes, fronts, radar data and isobar lines. There is some precipitation occurring over the SE and NW. Pressures seem to be high across the country.

The reason why we are experiencing the weather that we are has a lot to do with the low pressure and the high pressure domes that moving in/out, respectively, over the Midwest. As the high pressure spins the winds outward in a clockwise motion cold air is being pushed over Wisconsin. The high pressure system that I am referring to is in image 1 above near the top of the image. Looking at image 2 above and comparing it to image 3 below the radar data from 2 shows the rain that 3 is describing. Notice how there is no cloud cover over southern California and the other south western states, this corresponds with image 2 above as well.

Image 3: This is an Accuweather image that shows what the west coast is experiencing. Much of California has been dealing with drought and is in desperate need of water, so hopefully more precipitation will come their way.

Image 4: The above image shows the Jet stream at its current state. It has straightened out across the U.S. except near Texas where there is a trough. The trough is creating diverging airs on the east coast which has created/fueled some of the storms.

Image 5: This image shows the current surface wind conditions over the Midwest. Northern Wisconsin is experiencing clear skies while the southern skies are more overcast, we happen to be in a slightly overcast situation. The wind speeds across the state are fairly mild. The wind is coming out of the NE.

I predict that the rest of today will be partly sunny due to the fact that the high pressure dome from the north will most likely make its way near our region and we have already been affected by its presence, which can be seen in image 5 above where the winds are coming out of the NE. We shouldn't get any precipitation and the temperature should rise into the high teens or 20's. Tomorrow, on the other hand, is a beast in and of itself. I think that tomorrow should be much like this coming afternoon as skies clear slightly. Temperatures should stay on this warming trend for at least this week. Expect the winds to shift as the high pressure dome becomes closer. Today and tomorrow should be very nice with all things considered.