March 2014 Archives - New York Metro Weather

Warmup begins, brings unsettled weather

March 27, 2014/0 Comments/by John Homenuk

After a powerful Nor’Easter which featured a minimum central pressure of 955mb and wind gusts over 80mph on Nantucket, cold air swept back into the area late Wednesday into Thursday. Wind gusts in our area were more modest, but still over 30 mph in many spots. The cold airmass which moved into the area helped us set records of our own on Thursday morning. LaGuardia, Newark and Kennedy airports all set record low temperatures for the day, breaking records which were set during a similar cold snap in 2001. The departure from normal temperature remained more impressive than the actual surface temperatures, which actually only fell into the low 20’s. Normal lows this time of year, however, are in the mid to upper 30’s.

Fortunately, the colder than normal airmass will fall victim to a very progressive pattern, and is already on its way out. Temperatures on Thursday afternoon will rise into the 40’s to near 50 in many areas, under full sunshine and warming temperatures aloft. A continued warmup is expected from Saturday through the early part of next week. However, with the warmth will come southerly winds, increased moisture and a few low pressure systems which will do their part to provide the area with unsettled weather and multiple chances for rain.

GFS model showing a parade of systems moving eastward from the Pacific into the United States.

Images, updates as massive Nor’Easter slams Cape Cod

March 26, 2014/0 Comments/by John Homenuk

What may eventually be the strongest Nor’Easter in the past 20 years or more is currently developing to the south and east of New England, deepening rapidly to some of the lowest pressures observed in a non-tropical storm system in the Northwest Atlantic on record. Although the storm system spared our area major impacts, parts of Cape Cod and especially Nantucket are feeling the brunt of the developing low pressure system. We’ll follow along today and post some of the latest images, information and news as it comes through.

Water Vapor satellite imagery showing massive storm system in the Northwest Atlantic

Strongest storm of season likely to spare our area

March 24, 2014/0 Comments/by John Homenuk

In what will all but certainly be winters dying breath, a large and powerful coastal storm will develop Tuesday into Wednesday off the southeast states while traversing northeastward to a position southeast of the 40/70 benchmark. In doing so, and owing to a major phase in the mid levels of the atmosphere, the storm will strengthen rapidly and explosively — dropping from around 990mb to somewhere in the 950’s mb. This will make the system the strongest of the season by far, and the strongest in our area since Hurricane Sandy.

The aforementioned phase involves three disturbances which originate from different parts of the mid level flow and jet stream. Pacific and polar energy will merge over the Northeast United States, and a favorable jet structure will allow for rapid strengthening of the low pressure system. More notable for us, however, is how all of this will occur a hair too slow and a tick too far east/northeast — allowing us to dodge what would’ve otherwise been an incredibly high impact storm system.

NAM model showing a major storm system developing offshore, barely grazing the coast.

Powerful ocean storm likely, worst impacts may stay seaward

March 23, 2014/0 Comments/by John Homenuk

A mid and upper level atmospheric phase is likely to force the development of a significant coastal storm, which will rapidly develop off the East Coast early next week. The storm system is expected to begin strengthening off the southeast coast of the United States, before shifting northeastward over time. As a phase between multiple disturbances occurs in the mid levels of the atmosphere, and the mid and upper level jet streaks become favorable for strengthening, the surface low pressure will deepen rapidly and the storm system will mature.

Forecast models have come into better agreement over the past few cycles in regards to the track and intensity of the system, namely the area where the system will strengthen most as a result of the occurring phase. Arguably the most notable development in terms of sensible weather in our area, is the fact that the system will “hook” eastward before phasing, taking a track from a point southeast of the Outer Banks to a position south of the 40/70 benchmark. This likely will spare our area from significant precipitation in direct relation to the coastal low, as well as more widespread wind or coastal flooding impacts.

Euro model showing a significant storm a few hundred miles off the Northeast US Coast early next week.

Tag Archive for: March 2014

Posts