This evening, tonight…
The worst of this Arctic eruption is almost behind us. Clear skies, snow-covered areas, abundant dry air and easing wind will lead to a sharp drop in the temperature this evening. Inland in the single digits (we haven’t experienced freezing to this level since February last year) and in the low teens on the shoreline, will be achieved early, then rise slightly towards daylight. We’ll likely see daytime temperatures and for morning commute inland teens and into the low 20s on the shoreline.
the rest of the week…
As high pressure lifts off the East Coast tomorrow, a southwesterly current will send light air into Connecticut. So while the morning is definitely chilly, the temperature will be back above freezing in the afternoon under mostly sunny skies. In fact, many communities will see highs in the mid to upper 30s, if not slightly above average for this time of year.
On Thursday we will see more clouds than the sun. After a morning low in the 20s, we are forecasting higher temperatures to be a few degrees lower than yesterday.
Now, from Thursday night through Friday, a coastal storm develops and moves so far to our southeast that we’ll be dry (some rain and snow can cut the Cape and Islands). But as the system departs, it will pull more cold air down just in time for the weekend.
Holiday weekend…
We’ll have to bundle up again, as another shot of arctic air spills over the region. Despite mostly sunny skies on Saturday, temperatures only peak in the teens! Plus, a breeze will make it feel even cooler. As the air is low with high pressure on Saturday night, daytime temperatures drop into the single digits on Sunday. Despite that cold start, the temperature reached 20 degrees by Sunday afternoon. When dry, clouds increase as the day progresses past a developing coastal storm.
As of now, that storm has moved near or perhaps over southern New England. The time frame of interest is from Sunday night to MLK, Jr. Monday. There is surprisingly uniformity between the GFS and European models, but keep in mind that we have 6 days and a lot can and will change in the coming days. However, for now we can say that there is a possibility of some kind of impact from this coastal storm. The type and amount of precipitation is to be determined, as it will be dictated by the track of the storm – so stay tuned, we’ll keep you updated as new information arrives at the Early Warning Forecast Center.
Next week…
Once we get past the long weekend, Tuesday seems dry and weather-friendly so far.
Meteorologist Mark Dixon
,
History and criteria for naming winter storms
WFSB/Channel 3 has a 50-year legacy of naming winter storms; You might remember Blizzard Larry, Blizzard of ’78, Big Blizzard Felix of December 1973, Storm Alfred in late October of 2011, and Blizzard Charlotte in 2013. Up to 40 inches of snow has fallen in the state. It all started in 1971 with Channel 3 and Travelers Weather Service.
Why did we decide to name storms long ago? Because people remember names easily, especially those associated with Connecticut’s biggest hurricanes! Sometimes, we are criticized for naming winter storms, but so far most of our viewers love this tradition and find it fun! We also have to meet certain criteria in order to name a hurricane. We should forecast at least 6″ of snow and/or at least ” of snow growth over much of the state during a blizzard.
“Copyright 2021 WFSB (Grey TV). All rights reserved”
,
