Arctic Air for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic; Increase Moisture for Pacific Northwest; Active Pattern for Hawaii

An arctic cold front will impact the Great Lakes, Northeast and mid-Atlantic. Snow showers and squalls will accompany this system with increasing winds and falling temperatures. Damaging wind gusts may result in tree damage and power outages. Meanwhile, moisture returns for the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii this weekend with both coverage and intensity of rainfall and higher elevation snows. Read More >

With all the crazy weather in December and warmth preceding it, it’s hard to believe that January was several degrees below average. But, after the mid-December Derecho, we plunged right into the depths of winter, and January brought several episodes of snow and cold. While the cold was generally not record-breaking, it was consistently cold for most of the month. Snow and liquid equivalent precipitation was generally below average, though a rogue lake-effect snow event brought Duluth’s snow totals just above average. Drought status remains relatively unchanged per the US Drought Monitor, and Lake Superior’s water levels are now likely to remain below average as we go into spring.

Per CPC’s forecasts, the rest of February may feature cooler temperatures and higher precipitation than normal with drought persisting (but possibly improving going into spring).