Winter 2025-26

[katabatic]

41 minutes ago, brooklynwx99 said:

with variance due to climate change, I would argue that the large storms that do occur, even with lower frequency, would be bigger than the ones that we've classically seen. 2016 wouldn't have been quite as impactful 30 years ago

This is a legit question and not a troll. Also, might belong in banter, so if it needs a new home, feel free. But the question I have is the (perceived) lack of large east coast storms. Why? The theme of climate change seems to be an overall increase in storm frequency, an overall increase in precipitation. We have all seen the reports of incredible precipitation events around the globe. The oceans are on fire, so it certainly isn't a lack of potential energy. I'm an economist, not a met but it would seem like there would be more large storms (perhaps blinding rain vs snow) vs just a sheared out mess that seems to be the predominant storm type of late.  

[JenkinsJinkies]

40 minutes ago, katabatic said:

This is a legit question and not a troll. Also, might belong in banter, so if it needs a new home, feel free. But the question I have is the (perceived) lack of large east coast storms. Why? The theme of climate change seems to be an overall increase in storm frequency, an overall increase in precipitation. We have all seen the reports of incredible precipitation events around the globe. The oceans are on fire, so it certainly isn't a lack of potential energy. I'm an economist, not a met but it would seem like there would be more large storms (perhaps blinding rain vs snow) vs just a sheared out mess that seems to be the predominant storm type of late.  

I think they’re talking about snow storms specifically. The winter base state has gotten warmer meaning that we really need to thread the needle or else it’ll be too warm. psuhoffman can show you that  overall snow in the region is trending downward.

[katabatic]

16 minutes ago, JenkinsJinkies said:

I think they’re talking about snow storms specifically. The winter base state has gotten warmer meaning that we really need to thread the needle or else it’ll be too warm. psuhoffman can show you that  overall snow in the region is trending downward.

I get that...what I don't understand is why aren't there big storms (of any kind, snow or rain) during the winter. With as much potential energy in the oceans as there is, you'd think the smallest perturbation would kick start a storm. Sure, we've seen some decent ones here and there, but nothing of note for nearly a decade. I am curious why given how much energy is available.

[WxUSAF]

The simple answer is we’ve been in a long -ENSO/-PDO cycle. Northern stream dominant with a weak subtropical jet. 

[winter_warlock]

On 8/14/2025 at 10:33 PM, Jebman said:

Frigid cold Texas sweet tea and lemonade, amid visions of a ice locked entire eastern section of America this winter, alongside frigid vodka cold northerly winds and deep drifting snow.

Yessss !!!

[Stormchaserchuck1]

1 hour ago, katabatic said:

I get that...what I don't understand is why aren't there big storms (of any kind, snow or rain) during the winter. With as much potential energy in the oceans as there is, you'd think the smallest perturbation would kick start a storm. Sure, we've seen some decent ones here and there, but nothing of note for nearly a decade. I am curious why given how much energy is available.

A big problem has been the upper latitude pattern. 

This big ridge in the N. Pacific is -PNA

Here's the Winter sea-level pressure pattern with PNA (map is default positive, so what's happened lately is opposite of this map)

^Notice the low SLP off the east coast. -0.3 is pretty significant correlation. We've been seeing -PNA (North Pacific pattern), so there has been more tendency downstream for High pressure along the east coast and off the coast. 

That's just the Pacific.. in the Atlantic since 2011-2012, 83% of the Winter months have had +NAO! In that time monthly NAO readings of >1.11 have been positive 18-0. 

Here's the SLP correlation with NAO, this map is default positive so in +NAO, like we have seen lately, it is like this

Again, very High pressure correlation. Add the Pacific and Atlantic upper latitude patterns together and you have 5x more likely to have east coast, or off the east coast, High pressure vs Low pressure in the Winter months. That's the pattern we've been in since 2011-2012 and more so since 2016-2017. 

A core reason for this is the decadal La Nina state that has been in place since 1997-1998. Some say -PDO, but the Hadley Cells are flexed in the southern Hemisphere too so it's been more Nino 3.4 driven, imo. 

Atlantic NAO is a decadal cycle, since the 1800s there have been 4 swings between positive and negative. They usually last 30-50 years at a time. We have been in the middle of a +NAO decadal cycle. 

Of course the jet stream is moving north with global warming, but it's been bad timing with regard to long term global pattern fluctuations.