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Good morning bloggers,
It's FRIDAY! And, it is going to be a beautiful day. The dense fog materialized in a few spots, but there is an area of thick low clouds to the south we have to monitor closely today. We may get lucky during the holiday week with some great weather at times. Let's go over the changing pattern:
Here is how I see next week, a big travel and shopping week:
- A cold front Monday with a storm tracking just north of us
- A stronger cold front around Wednesday
- A big warm-up by Thanksgiving Day or Friday
- A HUGE change and a chance of the ending to our snowflake contest the week after Thanksgiving
By Monday a strong upper level storm will be developing, negatively tilted, across the central and northern plains. This storm may dig a bit farther south than shown on this first map below and if it does we could have much more of a storm on Monday. It is going to be what we concentrate on tonight on NBC Action News in HD:
As this upper level energy swings by on Monday a cold front will move through with a chance of a few showers. Snow is likely farther north and we will monitor this situation for any travel problems on Monday.
Another upper level trough will swing out into the plains, but again this will likely track north of Kansas City driving a second cold front through us next Wednesday. Lake effect snows will be possible behind this system as it moves across the Great Lakes. But for us it is likely just going to be a cold front:
By Thanksgiving Day most computer models have trended into a southwest warming wind developing with the warmer air maximizing on what many call the busiest shopping day of the year, next Friday. It may be a bit breezy for the Plaza Lighting and then much warmer by Friday. Here is the surface forecast valid next Friday:
As we get to the end of next week a huge transition will finally occur. And, we are seeing signs of the weather pattern finally repeating into this years LRC pattern. Take a look at the forecast map below valid the Saturday after Thanksgiving:
As you look at the map above pay close attention to the splitting flow off the west coast with the northern branch going up over a very important ridge. As the ridge develops conditions will become very favorable for at least a weak Arctic air mass to form. And the southern branch is about to become more energetic with strong storm systems. Everything is pointing in the direction of a stormy December ahead! And, I am expecting the snowflake contest to end during the first 10 days of next month.
Have a great day and a nice weekend! Let us know if you have any questions.
Gary
