Something Winter Our Way Comes

I don't know where I heard that phrase or if I thought of it, but I do like it. When said perfectly it contains a certain weight to it that creates an atmosphere of mystery and foreboding. It sends a thrill in a way to the ones listening.

I say that now of course because it looks like Winter is rearing its ugly head too soon. I am not going to beat around the bush; I hate Winter. That feeling was exacerbated when this past Winter turned into a disaster that would not abate until May 2nd. It snowed in Wichita, where I was at the time, on May 2nd. Two years before, on May 9th, 2011, it had gotten up to 100 degrees. Why couldn't it do that instead?!

But, I digress. During this "Summer" the Arctic experienced far colder than normal temperatures. Not only did this allow the ice pack up there to recover somewhat, which is another story, but it seemed to have built up pool of frigid air that was chomping at the bit to assert itself.

That piercing cold air is already on the move. On October 18th, it snowed across most of Kansas. Much like I hadn't seen it snow in May before, I likewise had not seen it snow in October either. That, unfortunately, just seemed to be an appetizer. As November has dragged on, the frigid air has asserted its authority across the midsection of the United States.

On November 11th and November 12th, the temperature dived to the teens for the lows. The average low for November in Lawrence is about freezing. The weather did warm up somewhat in the next days, but that is going to be short lived. Another system is posed to dive across the United States and if the forecast holds, it will be the coldest it has gotten yet.

According to the current forecast for the next few days from the National Weather Service, a huge air mass of Arctic air will move its way down starting in the Rockies and then moving out into the Plains. Right now in Southern Canada where the air mass is at right now, the temperatures range from zero degrees to -20. Starting Tuesday, it will move into the United States.

Here is what looks like will develop for Lawrence: Tuesday will be nice, with the high reaching about 60 and a strong breeze from the south. The moderate winds from the south should be a warning: when a system is about to move in, it pulls up warm moist air from the south. In warmer conditions, it would cause severe weather. Here, it will just cause a chance of rain and thunderstorms. There is a chance of rain for Lawrence Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

By Thursday though, the frigid air mass will reach Lawrence. The high that day is supposed to be 49, but I am willing to bet that it is one of those days where the high occurs overnight. The temperature will fall during the day and by the evening the predicted rain will switch to snow. The snow is expected to continue all of Friday before tapering off Saturday morning.

I am going to go on record as saying that the earliest in a season I can remember there being accumulating snow was December 21, 1998. Incidentally, that was also the first time I remember it getting below zero as well. That shouldn't happen this time, but not by much; following the snow the temperatures will be frigid, not even making it above freezing on Saturday and nose diving to around 10 on Saturday night. The recovery will be slow too.

So it looks like that Winter has finally stopped toying with us and will start to settle in. I despise Winter, except in one context: Christmas. I will discuss that another time, but for now, prepare for this coming cold snap accordingly.

Robert