Posts

John Homenuk

4.27 PM Zones: Warmer air arrives late week

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Cold and dreary weather had, for the most part, taken control of the areas weather over the past several days. Much of this can be blamed on the development of an upper level low over the Southeast United States last week. This upper level low drifted northeastwards towards the Mid Atlantic coast earlier this week, aiding in the development of a low pressure system which enhanced precipitation across much of the area.

The slow-moving cutoff low, which refers to systems that are detached from the overall jet stream, meandered in the region through this morning while slowly drifting off to the north and east. Residual moisture allowed for fog and drizzle to remain in the area. The good news is that, at long last, the system is departing and pleasant weather will finally return to the forecast.

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John Homenuk

Monday Musings: Warmer, unsettled, cutoff low

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So far, Spring 2016 has been absent, despite calendar arguing otherwise. The trend looks to continue this week, and as we look forward into the medium range, forecast models suggest it may continue even further into next weekend. While we aren’t quite looking at snow, the weather looks likely to be cooler than normal — all thanks to an unsettled pattern through midweek, and then a cutoff low which may impact the area thereafter. The story begins on Monday, as a southwesterly flow brings increasing clouds and the potential for showers.

A frontal system will swing through the area on Tuesday, with a period of steady rain possible along the frontal boundary. While the end of the week may be warmer and drier, the potential for a cutoff low exists later this weekend. This idea gains credence given the presence of high latitude blocking, extending essentially from Greenland into the Western Atlantic Ocean, acting like a “wall” to prevent any disturbances from escaping. But, more on that later. Here are the highlights to start the week:

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