Cobalt

I think this is an extra layer to the worry for some people as well. A good pattern will necessitate that the nail biting over long range pattern trends turns into nail biting over medium/short range threats and their respective modeled outputs. We don't do uncomplicated setups that often, especially in Ninas, so it can be difficult not to sweat over threats until you're watching snow falling out of the sky (and even then people will worry about the back edge, dry slot, etc). That's why last January was pretty special for me, we had 3 relatively uncomplicated setups that all gave sizeable snows before the pattern was supposed to "get good". Even then, there were still substantial winners and losers in each threat.

I think it's the worry of delayed becoming denied. As you've mentioned, we are in a much better position to can kick this early in the season, but it's hard for some to view it that way when whatever is on the other side of this pattern isn't in the medium range yet. Once those trackable threats begin to show up, people will loosen up a bit.

I think our lack of experience with modelled -NAO events is also hurting our sense of time with this upcoming pattern. The one I can remember somewhat vividly is the late Jan 2021 blocking event, where both the GEFS and EPS were spitting out super cold and snowy 10-15 day looks starting around the 5th of January. It still took until very late into the month to get any meaningful cold, and basically on the cusp of February for meaningful snow. That was at the heart of snow and cold climo, so us being in December definitely can't help in those departments.

While the trends in pattern progression look to mimic the 18z GFS through the medium range (not good), the 18z GEFS also looks to be picking up on the potential 9th/10th event. A few scattered hits and misses on the individual members, but the idea is there.

Weeklies try to keep the party going through Christmas.

BWI: 17.4" DCA: 12.3" IAD: 17.2" RIC: 11.1" Tiebreaker (SBY): 10.8"

Interesting that the EPS and GEFS now have the PNA nearing neutral around the 13th. Perhaps that could be an early storm signal with some brief west coast ridging? Alongside -EPO, and AO/NAO relaxing from their -3SD minimums. Probably too early into the pattern's progression, but worth noting.

-NAO signal on the EPS continues to get more impressive, a 3.4 sigma block appearing as a D12 mean is something. The days leading up to this regime change don't seem particularly toasty either. Some strong + and - temp variation, but the EPS has the first 7 days of December nearing average.

Just your casual 6-12" November snowstorm followed by single digits and sub-zero temperatures.

That look on the EPS reminds me a lot of November 2017. Not identical, but overtop there are definitely similarities to the start of the month in both figures.

Chilly day on tap for Monday

Looks like they're back

was debating on posting that there, awfully dystopian.

bring your pets if you feel teh need

Looks to be relatively chilly closing out September. A rarity given current climo.

Eurasian snow extent is off to a pretty decent start. Compensating for North America's sluggish (lowest in the dataset to date) snow extent atm.

yeesh

That 0.6" is 19/20, right? That was a neutral iirc, but it was preceded by a weak Nino in 18/19, so not sure it fits the qualifications you mentioned. Regardless, even with that out of the dataset it's easy to tell where the floor and ceilings are given current climo.

Lock it in!

I think 22-23 has potential to be one of the winters of all time. Maybe not the biggest, not the smallest, but definitely one of them.

33 degrees with moderate snow at 12:30pm on April 18th, kinda nuts.

Big snowflakes in Harrisonburg right now, mulch and grass are beginning to get a coating.

C+. 13.7" in January is the 3rd most in my 12 year dataset. February was awful, but the March storm helped cap off the winter pretty well.