First Sub-Freezing Conditions and Winter Advisories/Warnings!

[Jeff Miller]

Old Man Winter is starting to awaken, just a bit.

Freeze warnings are in effect tonight for parts of Minnesota. Forecasted temperatures as low as 27 are in the grids. Hello first sub-freezing temps of the year. Too early.

Brr...

Just a little hint of what's coming down the pike as the "Big Changes" start within about 3 weeks or so...

anyone ready for winter?

 

[Doug_Kiesling]

Two weeks ago, I saw something in the sky that I don't ever see in August even in Minnesota.

"Sun Dogs"

They have always been a winter event. If my forecast is correct, buy heating oil futures because "Climate Change... (the other thing to call it)" is going to drop like a rock.

With Snow falling west of Denver, Snow falling in June in Washington State and now freeze warnings in northern Minnesota in August, can anyone say ice age?

Since all weather is a balance between hot and cold air, if we get a brutal winter, we could be in for another good spring chase season.

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

Two weeks ago, I saw something in the sky that I don't ever see in August even in Minnesota.

"Sun Dogs"

They have always been a winter event. If my forecast is correct, buy heating oil futures because "Climate Change... (the other thing to call it)" is going to drop like a rock.

I think you just need to look at the sky more. I see them all the time in the summer. Actually saw a cool one this weekend. It was strange, there was a full halo and then a sun dog outside of the halo. Then there were two jet contrails, rather fanned out, going through it in a V shape. Thing looked like an anarchy sign. Was wishing I had my damn camera with me.

I do think it is going to suck around here again this winter, like it did last year. This tendancy for an east coast trough, west coast ridge will make sure of it. It's been here forever now. If it breaks, it rapidly reverts back into it.

 

[Joel Wright]

Yep, the ball is already in motion guys. Days are quickly getting noticeably shorter. Mornings are cool and "dewey". Hell, even some of the trees around here are beginning to get some color, which is sort of bizarre actually.

With all that being said, I still think we're going to get some late summer heat (or I guess early autumn meteorologically speaking lol) in September. Since summer never really made an appearance, you know it will try to make a few last stabs before the real cold hits. That may create some interesting chasing opportunities, but I guess that should be discussed in a different section.

 

[Jim Zandonai]

Yeah when I saw the freezing tems to the north I thought man it wont be long now..Seems like just a while ago we were talking about ice storms. While it was hot to our west in the plains we never even hit 90 here officially.
We did have some good storms here though with bow echos this Summer tracking through North and C-IL.
Sept can still be a chase month so its not over yet but get ready for FAll its not far away and although I dont mind Fall its what's after I really am not ready for..

 

[Charles Kuster]

I am definitely not ready for winter or even fall to arrive for that matter. Leadville had several days below freezing and even below 30 degrees the week before I left for Ft. Collins (Aug. 15-18). The mountains around town got several inches of snow above about 11,000ft.

Luckily, here in Ft. Collins, we are not looking at sub-freezing conditions or snow for quite a while.

 

[Gerrit Gulden]

I am seeing the same thing actually. I have even noticed an extreme early start to Birds, Ducks, Geese, etc Migrating. Tonight the low here will be around 38 and I am in the 4800 foot range. After the Low moved thru it cooled down dramatically. Still I found today that Southern California is boiling again in the heat and humidity.

I too have noticed the early foilage as well. But mostly isolated so far. I have heard rumors about a nasty winter ahead by the locals around here. Hopefully summer will last a bit longer. =)

 

[Jeff Richardson]

We've still got daily highs in the 90's here in OK, but there's already discussion about preparing for winter ice storms. After the massive ice storm we had in December of last year, I'm sure the portable generators will be selling out fast. From a climatology standpoint, we normally get our first freeze around November 1st. Hope winter doesn't come too early, I'm not ready for the outrageous heating bills.

 

[Michael O'Keeffe]

I remember seeing an article on the internet and it said the 2008 farmer's almanac was predicting a rough winter for the Midwest and Great Lakes with well above average snowfall. I've noticed when this happens chase does seem to be quite better come spring. We all need to make sacrifices for the storm gods.

 

[Danny Neal]

I remember seeing an article on the internet and it said the 2008 farmer's almanac was predicting a rough winter for the Midwest and Great Lakes with well above average snowfall.

GRRRR! After last years winter here in Chicago (7th snowiest on record) I am not sure I can last another one. Nothing like shoveling every four days. I hear Phoenix is pleasant that time of year......

It was weird how it went from a very warm winter(Meteorological winter that is(Dec 1st to Jan 7th)) to a brutal one in a matter of 3 days. January 7th, had tornadoes and highs in the 60's here. Few days later it was in the teens and the onslaught began!

 

[Paul Austin]

Sweltering here still. Even during Fay with all the rain, it was like a sauna. You might expect that is the norm, tropical system and all, but I've noticed a fair amount of rain cooling often occurs once a system makes landfall.

Of course, true winter doesn't really occur here. We got a morning-long dusting of snow on Christmas Eve of 1989. That is the only time in the 20 years I've lived in the area that I have seen snow on the ground here - other than that, only a handful of flurry events. When the first frost forms here, a teacher at my mom's elementary school takes her class out to see it, since most of them don't know what frost is, it occurs so infrequently.

 

[Gerrit Gulden]

Well the First "Freeze Warning" has been issued for my area tonight. Had to go and cover up the garden in hopes that I can continue harvesting after the cold temps leave. Lows could drop into the High 20's and I must say that this year has been pathetic with a never ending winter and Spring during Summer and now Winter like temps before Fall starts. The storm that came through had some punch to it, but the cold it will leave behind will definetely take its toll on alot of farms and gardens here.

Hopefully, and I mean Hopefully there will still be more heat till old man winter comes. I just have that feeling that this winter is going to be a very cold and gloomy one.

 

[Joel Wright]

Coolest air of the early season has settled into our part of the country now. Temps today failed to get out of the 60s during the daytime. That's down from temps in the 90s yesterday. Tomorrow, as the heavy rains from Gustav move through, it's possible temps may hold in the upper 50s. Potential record low maximum readings as well.

 

[Jason Boggs]

I wouldn't say freezing here, but with the latest cold front, it has been in the mid to upper 60's the last couple of days. It feels good!!!

 

[James Siler]

I would have to agree with Jason. It does feel good. Yesterday was all nice and cool and gloomy. I love it. I took 4 of my final 8 hours of vacation to come home and be lazy and enjoy the wind blowing through the tree's.