Historic Jan '19 Cold Wave - Polar Vortex Intrusion

[Madtown]

While not super cold yet...The wind, blowing snow and temps currently make it down right scary outside....and that's just looking out the window!

[Tom]

Chicago is going to make a run for their all-time record low high tomorrow....let's do it!

 

 

 

[jaster220]

While not super cold yet...The wind, blowing snow and temps currently make it down right scary outside....and that's just looking out the window!

 

  sorry, that made me lol

 

Seriously tho, this thread reads like "Day after tomorrow" stuff. Sure glad I'm riding this one out here in The (cozy) Mitt

[St Paul Storm]

MSP Int’l reporting a temp of -23 and it’s currently snowing. Wind chill of -52. That’s fantastic. Bonus snow just to make it extra special.

[Tom]

  sorry, that made me lol

 

Seriously tho, this thread reads like "Day after tomorrow" stuff. Sure glad I'm riding this one out here in The (cozy) Mitt

Jaster, those were my same thoughts today when I was out in the far NW burbs of Chicago in McHenry county.  The way the clouds looked, along with the snow squalls and the sun peaking in between the clouds, it totally felt like the "vortex" was here!  The clouds were rather shallow, but had a mountainous "bumpy" look to them when you saw it from a distance.  They were also rather linear.  Quiet a sight to see out in the "boon docks" of open farm land.  The road ways were snow covered from the blowing/drifting snow, as well as, huge drifts alongside the roadways.  I'm going to remember these vivid images for a long time.

[Madtown]

Tom, I was thinking the same thing today, the clouds were really weird/ominous looking, but not in a stormy way.

 

-13 and falling

[gosaints]

Was just going to post it is now -24 and snowing

[james1976]

Temp has been falling fast in the last few hours. The wind has also picked up. A lot of blowing snow and snow showers. Pretty amazing stuff. Local met calling for record lows tonight, record cold highs tomorrow and potential ALL-TIME record lows tomorrow night. Insane!
Currently -18 and WC of -47

[Money]

-12 with a WC of -34 as of 9 pm here

[gabel23]

Chicago guys, I seen on Twitter they had to set fire to the L train tracks have you ever heard of such a thing?!? Just to keep the trains rolling they had to do that, just insane. I checked Bemeji Minnesota and it’s -32 with a wind chill of -60!

[snowstorm83]

UNL open tomorrow, lots of pissed off people. Change.org petition approaching 2k signatures 

[ToastedRavs]

-13 here with gusts to 38mph. Just another day in paradise...aka Warren county Iowa!. Can not imagine what you all will get to the NE of me. And, is it wrong for me to set alarms to be able to set my personal low? Yeah, didn't think so! BRING IT ON (but be safe!)

[SE Wisconsin]

From the MKX AFD:

 

Of note, winds may fall off to near calm
across the far western portions of the forecast area, including
the Wisconsin River Valley, which is traditionally one of our
coldest spots. If clearing skies and light winds line up just
right, it`s not beyond the realm of possibility that this area
(including the the Lone Rock observation site) that could fall to
or below -40. 

 

That's incredible for S WI.  No reason to let International Falls have all the fun! 

[ToastedRavs]

Chicago guys, I seen on Twitter they had to set fire to the L train tracks have you ever heard of such a thing?!? Just to keep the trains rolling they had to do that, just insane. I checked Bemeji Minnesota and it’s -32 with a wind chill of -60!

I saw that a few times in 2009 when I lived there. I believe that was around -17 or so

[OmahaSnowFan]

On the “edge” of the cold here in Omaha(and that’s fine with me). Currently -5.6 on my weather station and with winds staying around 20 mph wind chills are “only” -25- to -30. Low tonight is supposed to be -13 with wind chills to around -35. Schools are closed for tomorrow. Just south of here it’s supposed to be colder with a deeper snowpack with forecast lows around negative 20. I only have about 2” of snow on the ground in my yard. Of note we were much colder here last New Years Eve(12/31/17) when we hit 20 below but with less wind

[Madtown]

-14

[East Dubzz]

Holy smokes... -17 with a WC of -46 already. Insane.

[brianc400]

Chicago guys, I seen on Twitter they had to set fire to the L train tracks have you ever heard of such a thing?!? Just to keep the trains rolling they had to do that, just insane.

This is not unusual in ultra cold weather. The switches freeze.

 

Here is a good article from a few years back: https://www.wired.com/2014/02/fire-on-tracks/

[Stormy]

https://i.postimg.cc/byzfbGk0/FEA1-CD4-E-1-F77-49-FE-9-F72-4-F0191-E748-EE.jpg?dl=1 Current weather conditions where I live.

[East Dubzz]

All plows were pulled off the road in Dubuque County, and travel is not advised - and likely won’t be until mid-morning.

[james1976]

I remember being a young kid in the early-mid 80s and having wind chills in the -70s a couple times. That was a long time before they re-did the WC criteria. I wonder how this cold snap would compare to that. I don't remember what air temps were back then.

[Beltrami Island]

Just got to Fargo. Visually the drive wasn't any different than you'd expect on any other winter night. Stepped out of the car and was pleasantly surprised the winds have died down quite a bit, still a breeze but it's Fargo so what would you expect.

[East Dubzz]

I remember being a young kid in the early-mid 80s and having wind chills in the -70s a couple times. That was a long time before they re-did the WC criteria. I wonder how this cold snap would compare to that. I don't remember what air temps were back then.

You can calculate what the current temps would have been with the old wind chills formula here: http://www.onlineconversion.com/windchill.htm

 

The last Dubuque update would have equaled -68 wind chills.

[james1976]

You can calculate what the current temps would have been with the old wind chills formula here: http://www.onlineconversion.com/windchill.htm

 

The last Dubuque update would have equaled -68 wind chills.

Cool, thanks!

[james1976]

-20 and -53 currently. Wow

[james1976]

You can calculate what the current temps would have been with the old wind chills formula here: http://www.onlineconversion.com/windchill.htm

 

The last Dubuque update would have equaled -68 wind chills.

OMG I just calculated it. It would have equaled -78. This may be the coldest weather I have ever experienced.

[Madtown]

the snow squalls are crazy at -15

[OmahaSnowFan]

-7.6 now. Love that link to the old chart: -33 current wind chill but -53 on the old one. Quite the difference!

[Thunder98]

It’s -24F at KEAU, -26F at KINL and -14F at KAMW

 

 

 

[Bryan1117]

It is now down to -21 in Sioux Falls with a WCI of -47... local forecasters here said there is a chance that the temp could fall to -30 or even further here by morning now... epic cold snap for sure!

[Madtown]

-16 atm

[james1976]

-24/-54 now. Insane

[ajkbadger]

Long time lurker, first time poster (I also posted this in the January Discussion).  I really enjoy the information provided on this forum.

 

I know this is a weather forum but I have a couple solutions for those who struggle to find warmth in the cold (this is for southeast Wisconsin): a warming shelter in the Milwaukee area is at 8100 W Capitol Drive in Milwaukee.  Lyft is offering free transportation to warming shelters with the code "WIJAYDEN19."  Don't forget to check on the elderly, neighbors, pets.  Finally, keep up with prayers for those struggling to find warmth for themselves or loved ones.

 

If anybody has any solutions for warming shelters in your areas, please feel free to provide suggestions.

 

Again, thanks to everyone's dedication to weather on here.  It really is a breath of fresh air.

[Madtown]

-17 free falling right now

[OmahaSnowFan]

[Minny_Weather]

I am in Sioux Falls, SD for work, staying overnight tonight and heading back to Omaha tomorrow afternoon.

 

Current temperature here in Sioux Falls is a balmy -17 with a WCI of -44. Heading to a low of -29 tonight - will be by far the coldest weather I have experienced in my life.

 

It just hurts to go outside for even a few seconds... crazy cold weather! I have even seen a few wind-blown snow squalls pass through this evening, which makes it even look and feel more like Siberia.

I know what you're talking about. That one night last year we had a WC of -40°F, I walked outside and instantly started coughing because I wasn't expecting it or something.

[Minny_Weather]

All time records are gonna be smashed in many places tonight, and I'm kinda glad it's not here. -3.8°F.

[Madtown]

[Hawkeye]

The Cedar Rapids airport was -19 at the top of the hour.  Here in the city, the local school stations have passed -18.  It typically doesn't get much colder in the city.  When the airport set the record at -29 in 2009, I don't think we came close to that in town.

 

Wednesday night will be interesting.  The ridge has been sliding farther east on the models, so return flow will begin by morning.  The euro shows the ridge axis hanging over the Waterloo-Cedar Rapids corridor through 7am, allowing the area to drop to -36.  However, the GFS has the warmer air moving in and brings us to the low -20s by morning.  The NAM is much more robust with the return flow and brings the temp way up to -10 by morning.

[Madtown]

-19