December 2022 Observations and Discussion

[james1976]

Love my weather station. Shows that it's the Winter Solstice and shows that it's currently the coldest temp so far this season. 

Perfect timing....hello winter!

[Grizzcoat]

2 minutes ago, james1976 said:

Love my weather station. Shows that it's the Winter Solstice and shows that it's currently the coldest temp so far this season. 

Perfect timing....hello winter!

I've always wanted a nice DAVIS. Issue is - I have no place to accurately record the winds (too many trees) - so i just go with cheap Lacrosse from Amazon and the temp sensors work remarkably well ( I have a $$ Kestrel hand held) and the cheap sensors are always within a 1 to 1.5F-- but of course, not in the sun. I can live with a $45 weather station (with 3 temp sensors) that has lasted for nearly 10 years...... 

[james1976]

2 minutes ago, Grizzcoat said:

I've always wanted a nice DAVIS. Issue is - I have no place to accurately record the winds (too many trees) - so i just go with cheap Lacrosse from Amazon and the temp sensors work remarkably well ( I have a $$ Kestrel hand held) and the cheap sensors are always within a 1 to 1.5F-- but of course, not in the sun. I can live with a $45 weather station (with 3 temp sensors) that has lasted for nearly 10 years...... 

I hear ya. Same issue up here at the MN home. Too many trees so it doesn't pick up the winds too well. My fiancee got me this. Her sister is a meteorologist in Knoxville, TN and suggested this brand. I love it......just too many trees around here but it's great for everything else.

[james1976]

42 minutes ago, Grizzcoat said:

I've always wanted a nice DAVIS. Issue is - I have no place to accurately record the winds (too many trees) - so i just go with cheap Lacrosse from Amazon and the temp sensors work remarkably well ( I have a $$ Kestrel hand held) and the cheap sensors are always within a 1 to 1.5F-- but of course, not in the sun. I can live with a $45 weather station (with 3 temp sensors) that has lasted for nearly 10 years...... 

And I honestly haven't spent nearly enough time playing with this thing. It has a ton of options and records way more info than what I've looked at. 

[Grizzcoat]

6 minutes ago, james1976 said:

And I honestly haven't spent nearly enough time playing with this thing. It has a ton of options and records way more info than what I've looked at. 

Yeah- that's the thing. I know cheap Lacrosse is probably not the  most accurate system out there-- but it records what it records and I can make adjustments after comparing  it to something more accurate. I have a hard enough time figuring it out when something goes belly up etc-- A lot imho- like a brand new cell phone--- you don't know what you got (so many features) and then they (Verizon etc.) or someone tells you to get a new one. Sorry- not until it's broke.  Just my .02

[Grizzcoat]

Duluth,MN likely to set all time snowfall record for DEC-

currently at 40.4*

000
CDUS43 KDLH 210823
CLIDLH

CLIMATE REPORT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
223 AM CST WED DEC 21 2022

...................................

...THE DULUTH CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR DECEMBER 20 2022...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD: 1991 TO 2020
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD: 1870 TO 2022


WEATHER ITEM   OBSERVED TIME   RECORD YEAR NORMAL DEPARTURE LAST      
                VALUE   (LST)  VALUE       VALUE  FROM      YEAR     
                                                  NORMAL           
...................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)                                                          
 YESTERDAY                                                           
  MAXIMUM          7   1:21 AM  43    1890  23    -16       25        
                                      1923                           
  MINIMUM        -14  11:59 PM -34    1983   8    -22        2        
  AVERAGE         -3                        16    -19       14     

PRECIPITATION (IN)                                                    
  YESTERDAY        T             0.33 2010   0.05  -0.05      T       
  MONTH TO DATE    2.83                      0.99   1.84     1.48     
  SINCE DEC 1      2.83                      0.99   1.84     1.48     
  SINCE JAN 1     33.62                     30.70   2.92    24.47     

SNOWFALL (IN)                                                              
  YESTERDAY        T             6.8  2008   0.6   -0.6       T       
  MONTH TO DATE   40.4                      12.1   28.3     10.2      
  SINCE DEC 1     40.4                      12.1   28.3     10.2      
  SINCE JUL 1     58.4                      29.0   29.4     15.7      
  SNOW DEPTH      24                                                 

DEGREE DAYS                                                           
 HEATING                                                              
  YESTERDAY       68                        49     19       51        
  MONTH TO DATE  948                       922     26      835        
  SINCE DEC 1    948                       922     26      835        
  SINCE JUL 1   2836                      2993   -157     2497        

 COOLING                                                              
  YESTERDAY        0                         0      0        0        
  MONTH TO DATE    0                         0      0        0        
  SINCE DEC 1      0                         0      0        0        
  SINCE JAN 1    239                       255    -16      436        
...................................................................

 

here are the top 5 snowiest Dec's at Duluth- ( on recrod  )

 

 

[Grizzcoat]

Long time posters know I burn wood for heat in winter. This winter iam trying with my family to never turn the furnace on (hoping for warm up around New Years, so when I visit my mom in MN, I don't have to run when it gone ( but would have test before to make sure it works) Lol. 

For those that think it's easy, it's not. ALOT of work. And still have to spend $$ on time/equipment wear and tear processing the firewood) about 500-600 bucks a season if not more.

But here is a pic down my hall about 15' from my upstairs wood burner (I have another downstairs). Currently using both. 

I can understand those that hate Winter, I certainly wouldn't like it as much if I had to burn LP or natural gas. I don't live rural enough to have an outdoor boiler, otherwise I would as they heat your water and even floors if your so inclined. 

ALOT of work that most don't see and expense (but still well worth it) as my last natural gas  bill was $29.

80F feels so much better now then in summer- coming in when it's 1F outside.

Sorry for the ramble. 

 

[westMJim]

While we have been in meteorological winter for 21 days now today is the first day of Calendar winter that starts at 4:48 PM today. Looking back at yesterday the official H/L was 32/21 there was no rain or snow but there was 9% of possible sunshine. There was a reported 4” of snow on the ground at GRR I have 6” on the ground here in MBY. The current temperature in MBY is the low for today so far at 13. For today the average H/L is 34/24 the record high of 60 was recorded in 1967 and the record low of -8 was set in 1989. The record snow fall of 7.8” was set in 2008.

Now as to our potential major snowstorm there are now hints that the SL may track a little further east and that would put the east side of the state in the heaver snow fall totals so we shall see. At this time, it still looks like we will have a major storm bad but maybe not as bad as what looked like yesterday. Now maybe a snow total of maybe 8 to 12” There also looks to be a shorter period of rain and or mix at the start. We shall see how things look later today and even more so tomorrow morning.

[Grizzcoat]

Did some checking- DSM area is forecast to go below zero for ambient temp sometime early AM tomorrow the 22nd.

Facts- DSM has not been below zero in DEC since 2017 (Dec 26th)

DSM has not been below zero EARLIER than this year ( Dec 22nd) since Dec 17th 2016 (-4)

6 years doesn't sound like much- but quite the streak being broken for mid/late DEC.

[westMJim]

With clear skies the temperature has now fallen down to 10 here in MBY for the coldest low of this season so far.

[Ottawa CO, MI]

11 minutes ago, westMJim said:

With clear skies the temperature has now fallen down to 10 here in MBY for the coldest low of this season so far.

Are you in the NE subs of GRR?

[chescowxman]

Another near normal late December day for the area today with temps touching 40 degrees this PM. Today is the calm before the storm that will arrive tomorrow AM. Clouds increase tonight with our temps actually rising after midnight. Some very brief sleet or freezing drizzle is possible just after rush hour tomorrow. This will quickly change to heavy rain which will last into Friday. A strong arctic cold front will sweep across Chester County during about the 10am hour on Friday. Any left over precipitation will change to snow or flurries for an hour or 2. Some models still hint at a small accumulation...more likely as we head west in the county. Either way rapidly falling temperatures on Friday afternoon with readings falling through the teens. Some models have temperatures as low as 12 degrees by 7pm. Many areas will see air temps in the single digits by Christmas Eve morning. High temperatures on Christmas Eve will not escape the teens. Wind chills will be well below zero all day. Christmas. A top 4 Coldest Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is likely.

The record high for today is 62 degrees from 1971. Our record low is 1 below zero from 1942. The daily rain record is 1.56" from 1902. The daily snow mark is 2.0" from 1959.

[tStacsh]

1 hour ago, Ottawa CO, MI said:

Are you in the NE subs of GRR?

I believe he is in the NW subs.  

[OttumwaSnomow]

4 hours ago, Grizzcoat said:

Long time posters know I burn wood for heat in winter. This winter iam trying with my family to never turn the furnace on (hoping for warm up around New Years, so when I visit my mom in MN, I don't have to run when it gone ( but would have test before to make sure it works) Lol. 

For those that think it's easy, it's not. ALOT of work. And still have to spend $$ on time/equipment wear and tear processing the firewood) about 500-600 bucks a season if not more.

But here is a pic down my hall about 15' from my upstairs wood burner (I have another downstairs). Currently using both. 

I can understand those that hate Winter, I certainly wouldn't like it as much if I had to burn LP or natural gas. I don't live rural enough to have an outdoor boiler, otherwise I would as they heat your water and even floors if your so inclined. 

ALOT of work that most don't see and expense (but still well worth it) as my last natural gas  bill was $29.

80F feels so much better now then in summer- coming in when it's 1F outside.

Sorry for the ramble. 

 

I have burned wood most of my life. Primarily  when I owned homes with  only propane heat.   Literally  saved me $1000s.  But we recently  sold our home with wood heat to our son and moved into a remodeled farm house with natural  gas. This is the 2nd home ive had natural  gas and LOVE IT.  Very efficient  and inexpensive.. never got a 80$ in the other home and about 150$ a  winter month here! I will never go back to 100% wood.. maybe as a back up. But only in our unfinished  basement and heat will rise.  I have lots of wood and dead  trees so wood is a no brainer. Alot of work and dirt tho. But cant beat the feel of wood heat!

[chescowxman]

The current NWS Forecast has a High Temperature of 18 degrees and a Low of 9 degrees above zero for Christmas Eve Day. If the high is only 18 degrees that would be the coldest high temperature ever recorded on Christmas Eve day since records began for Chester County in 1894. The coldest high temp on Christmas Eve day was the 19 degree high back in 1906. Christmas Day warms up to a forecast high of 21 following a Christmas morning low of 11 degrees. If that Forecast holds the combined Christmas Eve and Day Holiday would be the 4th coldest holiday on record. With Christmas Eve the 4th coldest and Christmas Day the 3rd coldest on record.

The combined top 15 combined cold holidays are in the table below. Merry Christmas to all stay warm!!

[tStacsh]

Crazy how winter disappears until at least the first or second week of January after this cold blast east of the Rockies/Plains  

[westMJim]

4 hours ago, Ottawa CO, MI said:

Are you in the NE subs of GRR?

No I am NW

[Tom]

34 minutes ago, sumweatherdude said:

Question about the LRC.  If we're running a 50-day cycle, KC had a run of significantly below normal temps from November 11-20th.  Am I over simplifying things to think that January 1-10 should also be cold?  Right now, that period is looking to be significantly above normal.  

I'm expecting sometime around the 3rd-5th for a cutter to slide through the Plains/S MW and through the OHV which will begin to tug down much colder air.  During the post Christmas holiday, the way I see it, for there to be a LOT of Blocking HP over S Canada and that will be lurking very close to our SUB.  The 0z Euro last night showcased this quite well.  I recall vividly, that during the period NOV 7th-12th there was a strong HP that straddled the northern Tier.  In fact, I do remember @Grizzcoatcommenting on how frigid it was in MT or somewhere thereabouts.  I'm sure many of us will warm up post Christmas, but I wouldn't be shocked to see the models press the cold a little farther south this cycle.

[Tom]

I'm digging what the CFSv2 trends look like for JAN...

[Hoosier]

Some stats for Chicago

Friday will be the first time in 27 years that a high temperature does not go over 5 degrees in December. 

12/9/1995:  high 5, low -4

 

The last time that the high was 0 or below in December was 33 years ago.

12/21/1989:  high 0, low -14

 

The last time that the high was below 0 in December was 39 years ago.

12/25/1983:  high -5, low -17

 

Given the temps and strong winds on Friday, one could say that it will feel like the coldest day in December since the 1980s.

[Clinton]

More snow possible Christmas night for some as a clipper like system zips through.  

[chescowxman]

The NWS has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Western Chester County (not Eastern Chesco) for this morning till 11am. We have some light freezing rain falling here now in East Nantmeal Twp. with a temperature at 30.9 degrees. This should change to plain rain over the next couple of hours. Plenty of rain on the way with over 2" falling before the cold front passes later tomorrow. That front should briefly turn the rain over to snow before ending. Some models still show a minor accumulation with the exception of the GFS which shows up to a couple of inches in spots across the County, Either way temps will tumble from near 50 in the morning to near 10 degrees by tomorrow evening.

The record high for today is 64.7 from 2013, The record low is 1 below zero set in 1960. Record rain is the 1.63" from 1983. Our record snow is the 5.8" that fell today in 1908.

[OmahaSnowFan]

Another “epic and never before seen pattern” that has delivered…***checks notes*** … 2.7” of snowfall this month.

But at least western SD and the NE panhandle got theirs.

 

[Jayhawker85]

51 minutes ago, sumweatherdude said:

Turns out Gary Lezak has a friend in common with my wife, and I got to hang out with him at a Christmas party earlier this week.  Had a nice long conversation with him about his retirement, the LRC and weather in general.   He's as enthusiastic about the weather in person as he is in public.  He's a great guy.  And whether you like the LRC or not, you should appreciate his love and enthusiasm for the weather.

So awesome you got to meet and hang out with him! Hopefully he stays in kc a bit longer and not move back to Cali just yet 

[bud2380]

Might need to start a "Christmas Clipper" thread.  

Euro and GFS listed below to give an idea.  

 

 

 

[Clinton]

2 hours ago, hawkstwelve said:

Obviously not the NAM's strongest timeframe for forecasting but 12z NAM showing another MSP special with the Christmas afternoon system.

If it works out like this, I swear, someone must have done some serious snow dances in MSP for their insane luck so far this winter.

I found some live footage of James doing just that.

[winterfreak]

Currently -4 with a -28 wind chill(!) under bright sunshine.
Looking forward to the moderation in temps after these brutally cold temps.

[james1976]

5 hours ago, Clinton said:

I found some live footage of James doing just that.

Haha! My fiancee, her kids and I are driving to Bismarck on Saturday for Christmas with her parents. We were gonna leave Friday but pushed it back cuz of the weather. We come back Monday. Maybe we'll get some Christmas snow while we're up there! Gonna be a cold one for sure. 

[OmahaSnowFan]

7 hours ago, bud2380 said:

Might need to start a "Christmas Clipper" thread.  

Euro and GFS listed below to give an idea.  

 

 

 

Only if we can do 35 pages of posts!

[OmahaSnowFan]

No snow for you!!

[clintbeed1993]

Jim Flowers was saying January should be frigid and snowy if it followed the best fit 3 peat Nina. Looks like that's going to have to start in the 2nd half. First 2 weeks are probably shot for cold and snow. So far another PITIFUL winter pattern 

[Phil]

4 hours ago, clintbeed1993 said:

Jim Flowers was saying January should be frigid and snowy if it followed the best fit 3 peat Nina. Looks like that's going to have to start in the 2nd half. First 2 weeks are probably shot for cold and snow. So far another PITIFUL winter pattern 

An old school January thaw.

[chescowxman]

Since yesterday we have recorded 0.97" of rain here in East Nantmeal with 0.14" since midnight. We have already reached our high for the day as an initial cool front passed through earlier this AM. The high was 55.4 at 2:51am we have now dropped over 13 degrees to 41.9 as of 838am. The actual arctic front still looks on tap to pass through the county from west to east during the 10 am hour. We should see briefly heavy rain turn to snow which could last for a couple of hours before ending. The latest HRRR short range model still shows some spots in Western Chester County picking up a quick inch of snow. Either way it shows temps falling into the teens by 1pm and the single digits by 7pm this evening.

The record high today is 65.3 set back in 2015. The record low is zero set in 1960. The daily rain record is 1.41" set in 1907. The record snow for today is the 6.2" that fell today back in 1963.

[Clinton]

My low temperature last night was -8.  It's currently -4 with a WC of -24.  A chilly Christmas weekend is ahead but a warm up is in sight.

[CentralNebWeather]

After a warmup in the next week, models have rain/snowstorms coming up from the southwest. ICON and Canadian have potential snow around here. Should be a lot of moisture in the central part of the US, but in what form. Canadian hints at the cold starting to comeback at the beginning of the new year. 

[gabel23]

8 hours ago, Phil said:

An old school January thaw.

Old school brown grass January thaw! The 1.5" of snow will be gone by Monday........

[gabel23]

1 minute ago, CentralNebWeather said:

After a warmup in the next week, models have rain/snowstorms coming up from the southwest. ICON and Canadian have potential snow around here. Should be a lot of moisture in the central part of the US, but in what form. Canadian hints at the cold starting to comeback at the start of the new year. 

The next storm on the board would be the veterans day storm. It's the one that dropped over a foot of snow in Bismarck, ND. I'm hoping this next one will follow the snow pack and deliver the goods to Eastern Neb, Kansas, Iowa and off east. This one could be a nice share the wealth storm. I'm not holding on hope though, received .03" then and this second cycle has been spot on with the limited precip for my area. 

[OmahaSnowFan]

1/2” of moisture. None of it snow the end of December/beginning of January.

At least we’re getting moisture.

[Bryan1117]

15 minutes ago, OmahaSnowFan said:

1/2” of moisture. None of it snow the end of December/beginning of January.

At least we’re getting moisture.

I will take it... 40's and rain doesn't sound too bad right now (better than freezing rain/ ice). However we can get moisture to put a dent in the drought.

[Niko]

I hope next week's mild air does not pan out. If it does, temps could be flirting w/ near 50F.