The Polar Vortex

[hessjm]

I don't like the way they're trying to freak people out with the whole "Return of the Polar Vortex" (dun dun dun) headline.

When I read the article and looked at our 10-day forecast, yeah, it's going to be a bit colder than normal (as they state), but not -40 to -60 like it was a couple of weeks ago. Michigan (especially northern Michigan) occasionally has temperatures just below zero during the winter, and we call it a "cold snap". It's January, for crying out loud. January is pretty much always our coldest month, as evidenced by my heating bills for the past 17 years.

It's nothing to get all worked up about, but the news is certainly trying to work everyone into a fever pitch again. :angry:

Sarah, the last GFS model I saw for West Michigan was projecting temperatures of -10 to -14 for the beginning of next week. That is air temperature not wind chill. This mornings Area Forecast Discussion from the National Weather Service talked about even colder air for the next week. So batten down the hatches! ️

 

[henryj]

One has to keep their sense of humor when viewing all this polar vortex stuff. Hollywood has made and people have written all kinds of doomsday scenarios about the next ice age such as the book 'The Coming Global Superstorm' and the movie "The Day After Tomorrow" about when Manhattan freezes over. Other gems are "2012:Ice Age", "Artic Blast", "Ice Twisters", "Disaster from Down Under", and "Ice, Ice Baby". Doomsday sells.

But, we might be in for some colder winters for the next decade or two. Don't throw away your heavy coats just yet. This winter was the first freeze we have had here in Houston in two or three years.

 

[SarahZ]

I don't like the way they're trying to freak people out with the whole "Return of the Polar Vortex" (dun dun dun) headline.

When I read the article and looked at our 10-day forecast, yeah, it's going to be a bit colder than normal (as they state), but not -40 to -60 like it was a couple of weeks ago. Michigan (especially northern Michigan) occasionally has temperatures just below zero during the winter, and we call it a "cold snap". It's January, for crying out loud. January is pretty much always our coldest month, as evidenced by my heating bills for the past 17 years.

It's nothing to get all worked up about, but the news is certainly trying to work everyone into a fever pitch again. :angry:

Sarah, the last GFS model I saw for West Michigan was projecting temperatures of -10 to -14 for the beginning of next week. That is air temperature not wind chill. This mornings Area Forecast Discussion from the National Weather Service talked about even colder air for the next week. So batten down the hatches! ️

It's like I didn't leave the U.P. or something. It followed me downstate.

 

[RRUserious]

Truth is that this winter has yet to make it into the top 10 coldest winters in Minnesota. The temps have been "below normal" BUT that "normal" is only for a couple of decades.

 

[SarahZ]

http://www.mlive.com/weather/index.ssf/2014/02/whos_ready_for_some_good_news.html

 

[jis]

Looks like we are in for another 3" to 6" Wednesday night into Thursday afternoon. Should not be a problem around here, though space for putting the snow is starting to get a bit short, and I see some already starting to truck snow away to dump them so as to clear space for the next round.

 

[jacorbett70]

On the 30th St Station Solari board Amtrak referred to the "Pax Storm!" Pax is the name the Weather Channel gave to the storm in the Southeast that is expected to develop into a nor'easter later this week. Then again since "pax" is short for passengers, maybe there is another sort of storm they are bracing for. While I was there, the status of train 91(11) changed from "Delayed" to "Cancelled" on the board.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacorbett70/12463629033/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacorbett70/12463629233/

 

[fairviewroad]

Service Alert posted for the next storm

Amtrak Suspends Service in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions

In coordination with CSX Transportation, Amtrak will suspend service due to the latest winter storm forecast for the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
The suspension in service is designed to maintain service on most routes while reducing exposure of Amtrak passengers, crews and rail equipment to extreme weather conditions.
The Silver Star, Train 91, is canceled today, Feb. 11, and no alternate transportation will be provided. The Silver Star, Train 92, will terminate in Jacksonville, Fla.
The following services will be suspended for Wednesday, Feb. 12:
• The Silver Service Train 91 and 98
• The Palmetto Train 89 and 90
• Auto Train 52 and 53
• Carolinian 79 and 80
Passengers with travel plans for Tuesday and Wednesday are encouraged to plan ahead and make any necessary reservation changes in advance. A wide range of tools are available to assist with travel planning including Amtrak.com (including the interactive train tracker map), the Amtrak smartphone app (available for iPhone, Android & Windows phones) and 1-800-USA-RAIL.

 

[jacorbett70]

They changed the sign to take off Pax and just say winter storm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacorbett70/12471327075/

 

[PRR 60]

They changed the sign to take off Pax and just say winter storm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacorbett70/12471327075/

And they also changed "maybe" to "may be." Someone must have actually read the notice.

 

[Ryan]

They changed the sign to take off Pax and just say winter storm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacorbett70/12471327075/

And they also changed "maybe" to "may be." Someone must have actually read the notice.

The "maybe" bothered me more than the "pax".

 

[Phil S]

Hmm..it was 80 here in the So Cal (near) desert a few days ago.

So true Dan, but the forecast is for a bone-chilling, below average temp. of 68° by the end of next week!

In 1990 we actually had snow on the ground here. Maybe 2-3 inches, enough for a small snowman. Maybe 4-5 years ago the low was 19 or so and my kids "ice skated" on our patio. They ran some water, let it freeze (almost immediately) and then went out and skated around in their shoes. Then again, about 8-9 years ago it was over 90 here in January and we were having water gun/hose fights and the kids were in the play pool while the east coast was in single digits. 68 is pretty normal for winter here.

In 1949 we a real snow storm. It started snowing about 10 PM and by 6 AM there was 12-14 inches on the ground in the San Fernando Valley. The cold weather (teens and twenties) hung around for three days before the snow began to melt. First and only "snow days" I ever had --- school or work (military service does not count, they don't have snow days --- ever).

I remember that well. I was 5 years old. We lived in downtown LA near Sunset Park, on top of a hill. That morning the lawn had maybe 2" of snow. First time my younger brother, our dog, or I had seen snow.