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February 2021 General Discussion


madwx
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Surpassed 40" for the season with today's snowfall at YYZ; 4th winter in a row and quite the feat considering it's been nearly 40 years since that's happened. 

Got me thinking about the banality of these winters notwithstanding that feat.  Really, just nickels and dimes since 2016, a couple of moderate events, and just the one big dog in Jan 2019.  Aside from the 13.1" in Jan '19, I don't think there's even been another 8"+ snowfall, let alone 12"+, over that period of time.  Maybe someone can correct me if I've missed a storm.

Not even sure what my point is.  Just some mid-evening ramblings.

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Not sure where to put this, but...in the past 18 days (Jan 30 thru today), I've measured 33.7" of snow. An incredible run in my book. Especially in light of how lame winter was until this point. 2013-14 is always going to be hard to beat, and it probably won't in my lifetime, but I didn't have a run that winter...like I've had this winter, in a timespan such as this one.

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5 minutes ago, Chicago WX said:

Not sure where to put this, but...in the past 18 days (Jan 30 thru today), I've measured 33.7" of snow. An incredible run in my book. Especially in light of how lame winter was until this point. 2013-14 is always going to be hard to beat, and it probably won't in my lifetime, but I didn't have a run that winter...like I've had this winter, in a timespan such as this one.

That's incredible for a non-belt location, and you may not be finished.  Trying to think if I've ever had 33"+ in 18 days...nothing in recent history, not even Feb 2008. 

Jan '99 yes, but that's so long ago it might as well been a different life.

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3 hours ago, Chicago WX said:

Not sure where to put this, but...in the past 18 days (Jan 30 thru today), I've measured 33.7" of snow. An incredible run in my book. Especially in light of how lame winter was until this point. 2013-14 is always going to be hard to beat, and it probably won't in my lifetime, but I didn't have a run that winter...like I've had this winter, in a timespan such as this one.

The turnaround has been absolutely remarkable.  This would be an elite stretch in any winter, but the contrast with how it started out is amazing.  Just trying to soak it in because who knows how long it will be until we see something like this again.

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The turnaround has been absolutely remarkable.  This would be an elite stretch in any winter, but the contrast with how it started out is amazing.  Just trying to soak it in because who knows how long it will be until we see something like this again.

La Nina episodes or Nina like patterns with a -PNA paired with some variant of high latitude blocking (-NAO, -AO, -EPO or all 3) have seemed to coincide with memorable stretches of winter weather and/or memorable events.  

 

 

2011 is a good example of that with a historic snowy phase in the east through January with the -NAO/-AO, then of course GHD I came with a strong -EPO/-PNA couplet after that prolonged NAO/AO block finally eroded.

 

2018's record stretch of consecutive days of measurable snow in Chicago (that might be broken later today) on Feb 3-11 occurred during a -EPO/-PNA.

 

Then in 2019, despite that year being a weak Nino, had a very Nina like February due to MJO forcing. That month had an amplified RNA pattern with a consistent strong -EPO that allowed Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota to cash in in record fashion and the multiple freezing rain events in the LOT CWA and nearby.

 

Our stretch this year will have occurred with a predominantly -NAO/-AO and -PNA, along with a -EPO in the mean height anomaly, which was very conducive not only for the remarkable snowy stretch for much of the area but also the prolonged cold snap this month once the PV lobe got trapped under the block. Fun stuff.

 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

 

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18" snow depth here, 4th highest seasonal max on record IMBY.  Here's the Top 4, based on where I lived at the time:

(1) 24" on 12/26/2000, Glen Ellyn IL

(2) 22" on 2/5/2011, Carol Stream IL

(3) 21" on 2/4/2015, Lake Zurich IL

(4) 18" on 2/16/2021, Lake Zurich, IL

I imagine yesterday's 28" depth in Evanston (?) is the 3rd highest IL seasonal peak on record.  Antioch had a 38" depth in the 1978-79 winter, and I believe some places were around 30" in December 2000.

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-13 officially last night at GRR.  This is 2 degrees colder than the coldest night of the PV event in 2019.  That one had way worse wind-chills and was a colder airmass overall though.  Pure radiative cooling isn't nearly as bad as a super-cold airmass that is below zero despite passing over Lake Michigan on a 15 mph breeze.  Also decent rebound with days getting longer.

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1 hour ago, UMB WX said:

forecasted high in Madison has been  for around 17-19 for days. Lol at overperforming for hitting the projected high at 3pm.  Spring fever  hallucinations is real on the forums every Feb. 

Winter is holding me hostage and I'm Stockholm Syndroming pretty hard rn.

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