This post isn't going to be so much of a forecast as it is going to be a clarifier, but I will add in some medium-long range forecast details about what I expect to occur across the region during the next few weeks.
With that being said, however, there seems to be this persistent "hype" going about the media over the past few weeks about the so-called "polar vortex". So many people have been "fooled" into believing that it should be something to be concerned about when it really isn't. So, I'm here to clarify what is meant when meteorologists and atmospheric scientists use the term "polar vortex".
Unlike what the media has made it seem to be, the "polar vortex" is not something that can be seen with the eyes. It is not a rare or unusual phenomena, and its certainly nothing to panic about either. The "polar vortex" is actually a semi-permanent feature of the Arctic region, which is occasionally displaced when periods of anomalous warming occurs over the poles [known as "blocking" in "weather slang"] and can then break-off and slide southward into the temperate regions. This is the reason why we occasionally see exceptionally strong blasts of Arctic air into the region. It is not because the polar vortex itself has actually moved into the area, but it originates from the polar vortex. In more "scientific" terms, the polar vortex is actually a climatological pattern of the Arctic which results in upper-level troughing and the formation of a cold-dome. As a result, a large cyclonic circulation develops, which contributes to the development of long-wave troughs across the temperate zones, and hence the formation of the main jet-stream pattern. It is not a rare occurrence, and its not something that can be seen, or something to be afraid of.
Secondly, I've been having people ask me all day if there's going to be a "big storm" coming soon. I can emphatically say that this is false as well. It IS true that we will be going into a pattern more conducive to winter-weather for the area, including the establishment of a mean long-wave trough across the East, which will lead to below-normal temperatures for the second-half of January. It IS true that at times, this pattern will become conducive to strong clipper-systems moving into the region, and the potential for a Colorado low to bring us some decent snowfall. HOWEVER, as of this point, there is no indication of any major storm hitting the area. Zilch. None. I don't know where these rumors began, but we have a very low chance of seeing another "big storm" this winter. We will definitely see several 4-6"+ events through February, but I think its going to be very difficult for the area to see another 10"+ storm like we had just last week. However, I will not rule out the potential, given how volatile this winter has been so far. I will keep you updated. For now, however, there is no major storm coming, and all I'm expecting is several clipper systems, and temperatures dropping into the 10's and 20's.
With that being said, however, there seems to be this persistent "hype" going about the media over the past few weeks about the so-called "polar vortex". So many people have been "fooled" into believing that it should be something to be concerned about when it really isn't. So, I'm here to clarify what is meant when meteorologists and atmospheric scientists use the term "polar vortex".
Unlike what the media has made it seem to be, the "polar vortex" is not something that can be seen with the eyes. It is not a rare or unusual phenomena, and its certainly nothing to panic about either. The "polar vortex" is actually a semi-permanent feature of the Arctic region, which is occasionally displaced when periods of anomalous warming occurs over the poles [known as "blocking" in "weather slang"] and can then break-off and slide southward into the temperate regions. This is the reason why we occasionally see exceptionally strong blasts of Arctic air into the region. It is not because the polar vortex itself has actually moved into the area, but it originates from the polar vortex. In more "scientific" terms, the polar vortex is actually a climatological pattern of the Arctic which results in upper-level troughing and the formation of a cold-dome. As a result, a large cyclonic circulation develops, which contributes to the development of long-wave troughs across the temperate zones, and hence the formation of the main jet-stream pattern. It is not a rare occurrence, and its not something that can be seen, or something to be afraid of.
Secondly, I've been having people ask me all day if there's going to be a "big storm" coming soon. I can emphatically say that this is false as well. It IS true that we will be going into a pattern more conducive to winter-weather for the area, including the establishment of a mean long-wave trough across the East, which will lead to below-normal temperatures for the second-half of January. It IS true that at times, this pattern will become conducive to strong clipper-systems moving into the region, and the potential for a Colorado low to bring us some decent snowfall. HOWEVER, as of this point, there is no indication of any major storm hitting the area. Zilch. None. I don't know where these rumors began, but we have a very low chance of seeing another "big storm" this winter. We will definitely see several 4-6"+ events through February, but I think its going to be very difficult for the area to see another 10"+ storm like we had just last week. However, I will not rule out the potential, given how volatile this winter has been so far. I will keep you updated. For now, however, there is no major storm coming, and all I'm expecting is several clipper systems, and temperatures dropping into the 10's and 20's.
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