TheClimateChanger

Looks like the coldest of any ASOS/AWOS site was Zelienople (KPJC). A very efficient site for radiational cooling. Unlike most larger airports and airfields, this one is located in a small valley. Coldest temperature was -16.6F, or rounded to -17F, which was observed for several hours. The AWOS does not report minimum temperature, so it may have been even lower in between 15 minute observations. Link: National Weather Service Washington County Airport (KAFJ) reached -16F. Another spot for good radiational cooling. Link: National Weather Service

I suspect the snowcover actually amplifies the diurnal range by having a larger cooling impact on low temperatures than on high temperatures, under ideal radiational cooling conditions. Also, some of those days likely saw non-diurnal temperature spreads due to reinforcing shots of arctic air, plus moderation into the overnight ahead of the reinforcing shots of arctic air.

Would have been a good opportunity for some entrepreneurial northern snowplow operators, as well. I would reckon there aren't too many of those down there.

There's plenty out there. Just go out there and make some Snow Buckeyes! Florida's snow will be melted in 2 days. Ohio has fared much better than most places.

Good post. If your fears do come to fruition, I think part of the blame belongs to the government. The Drought Monitor continues to show marked improvement statewide over the past 10 weeks, which would suggest wetter than average conditions has helped to alleviate, or reduce, the existing drought. But, in fact, most places have seen below normal precipitation over the past 10 weeks - in some cases, much below.

Heavy snow now.

Snowing here at a decent clip right now.

Yes, I see that. Judging from the hole around the LWX radar, I suspect it's all (or mostly all) aloft. You can even some of the heavier returns southwest of the radar site, especially in the early part of this loop, suggesting the heavier virga likely extends over the radar site but the beam is too low in those areas to detect it. With that said, the hole does look to be shrinking, which would suggest some of the snowflakes are making it further down into the atmosphere. But this is only like 10, maybe 15, dbz returns.

Doubtful, given the extremely low dewpoints and minimal intensity of what is falling to begin with [looks like little more than flurries even at the height of the radar beam].

That's what I figured. The proximity to the hot river waters probably elevate minimum temperatures locally compared to other locations in the warmer parts of the year.

Interesting. What happened to the urban heat island that people always complain about at MDT?

Very impressive snowfall rates, with rapid accumulation. Watch out for that coating.

Snowing quite heavily here. Looks to be about an inch or so of new accumulation. Wasn’t expecting much this far northwest.

Not much of anything here. Minor coating earlier, snowing lightly again now with a new light coating.

This solar maximum effect is looking to be little more than hocus-pocus at this point, no? This has been the coldest winter in years and, given the forecast, looks like it has a decent chance of being the coldest winter since, well, the last solar maximum. The last cycle peaked in 2014 and was bookended by some of the coldest winters in decades (2013-2014, 2014-2015). Maybe there's a small global warming attributable to solar maxima, but the link between solar maxima and warm/mild mid-latitude winters seems to be tenuous at best.

Hype? I’m correcting a comment from earlier that appears to be claiming greenhouse gases make the sun’s rays stronger?

That’s not how greenhouse gases work. They absorb long wave radiation. They don’t amplify solar irradiance.

And yet this is the coldest winter in years. The last solar maximum (2014) was bookended by some of the coldest winters in decades (2013-14 & 2014-15), the likes of which haven’t been seen since.

Some ground confirmation of heavy snow showers:

Looks like some heavier snow showers moving into eastern Ohio, per radar. Will be interesting to see if these hold together. Could pick up another inch or so.

Is it just me or do we get way more snow than they say? My flat picnic table in the backyard clearly has over a foot of snow on it, but they say only a foot has fallen all month? So nothing has melted, sublimated or blown off the table in two weeks?

The most recent GFS run suggests around an inch of snow on Saturday, with temperatures no higher than the mid 30s. 10:1 ratio even higher, but probably unrealistic given thermal conditions.

While snowfall to date is right around normal (see below) at PIT, we have already eclipsed last winter's total of 16.3 inches and are sitting just 1 inch shy of the 17.6" total from the winter of 2022-23. We will likely eclipse that winter on Thursday.

Still here. Been busy with work, traveling, kids and watching football. For context, 2024 was the warmest year on record by a full degree - including downtown observations. January has been cold so far, but its only 25th coldest on record. A bit of a difference comparing a cold two-week period versus beating a 12-month annual record by an entire degree. With the cold next week, no doubt we will climb up the list and perhaps make it into the top 10 or 15 coldest starts to January. But there is still more than half the month left. And for further context, meteorological winter to date is about as "normal" as it gets. Tied with 3 prior years for 71st chilliest [of 151 years].