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Blocking sends disturbance south from Greenland

High latitude blocking, which we discussed earlier this week as an important predictor in summer temperature patterns around our area, is at it again. A large and anomalous blocking ridge, building north from Canada towards the higher latitudes into Newfoundland and Southeastern Greenland, is forcing a disturbance and upper level low to shift southward. The disturbance will track southward today — and can be seen on water vapor and visible satellite imagery early this afternoon. The feature won’t directly impact our area, nor will it cause any widespread unsettled weather on the east coast, but it could reinforce east/southeasterly winds as it passes later this week.

The track of the disturbance is the most unusual. To see an upper level low or disturbance track southward from Greenland all the way to a point just a few hundred miles off of the US East Coast is exceedingly rare. However, one glance at the blocking pattern aloft tells you the story — the disturbance had nowhere else to go, being forced into a small window between the trough over the Atlantic and the blocking ridge to the west over Canada. (Click read more for more imagery).

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Clouds, showers to begin the new week

Plenty of sun, and warm temperatures, dominated the areas weather late last week into this past weekend. But late Sunday, mid and high clouds took over owing to an approaching disturbance to the west. This disturbance is over the area today — nestled between a tight mid level atmospheric flow and bringing clouds and showers with it. The unsettled weather will also bring cooler temperatures — topping out in the upper 50’s to lower 60’s. The air will feel cooler and damp, however, with winds off the cooler ocean waters.

The showery and cloudy conditions are expected to persist through the early week, but will become less numerous on Tuesday and taper off completely by Wednesday. By mid week, the sun should make a return. Winds will remain out of the east, so the air will still have a bit of a chill to it, but the sun and temperatures in the 60’s will be pleasant compared to the damp and dreary conditions that the week began with.

Today: Cloudy with showers likely. Highs in the upper 50’s to lower 60’s. Southeast winds around 15 miles per hour. Chance of precipitation 80 percent.

Tonight: Cloudy with showers likely. Lows in the upper 40’s to lower 50’s. Southeast winds around 15 miles per hour. Chance of precipitation 60 percent.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. Highs in the upper 50’s to lower 60’s. Southeast winds around 15 miles per hour. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 60’s. Southeast winds around 10 miles per hour.