Warmness

[Tarmo Tanilsoo]

Unusual warmness continues in Estonia and no cooling trend is seen within next days. Currently in Laguja, air temperature is 40,1 degrees Fahrenheit, I am calling this hot because of unusual nature of these temperatures. However, there have been early winters in Estonia too. EMHI wrote in their newsletter today that such winters have been in 1970's too. However, I wasn't born yet in 1970's so it is still the warmest winter I've ever seen for me. I am wondering if rest of Northern Europe is still having the same problem? Here in Estonia, winter sport events are in the threat of being cancelled due to lack of snow. Snow in Estonia is quite a one-day event right now.

 

[B Ozanne]

The buds are getting very green in Connecticut. If the sun comes out today or tomorrow things could get interesting. Temps could hit 70.

 

[B Ozanne]

On another note, how quickly we forget some recent record cold. The winter 0f 2002/2003 was one of the coldest on record in the United States, especially in the northeast.

The Hudson River had ice all the way to Manhattan, and was impassable north of the Tappan Zee Bridge. I was walking on ice on Long Island Sound...the ocean. My favorite skating pond was iced over for the entire winter, in Connecticut. I was skating in mid-December and skirting over ice at the end of March. In 2003, 2004, and 2005 I made many road trips across Lake Champlain.

 

[Joel Wright]

The last three winter seasons have been incredibly mild in the midwest. It seems as if we don't have to deal with winter anymore.

The other day I saw a few robins in my back yard. I've NEVER seen them around in the winter before.

Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Iowa both report a trace of snowfall for the season so far, with virtually nothing on the horizon as well.

This is getting very strange.

 

[Susan Strom]

The most unusual thing I have noticed, and it is obvious (even Dave Owens gardenguy.com remarked about it) is that tree foliage turned gold but did not de-leaf. January's trees appear Novemberish around here. They are gold, but the leaves did not fall. I'm speaking about trees in Phoenix metro/valley, not the alpine zones an hour north. I think the aspen leaves up there were gone a long time ago.

 

[Tarmo Tanilsoo]

Trees de-leafed here in October... It started around the time I got hit by Ex-Helene and Ex-Isaac

 

[Ericka B. Gray]

1/6/07 Northeast Spring in Winter

While the midwest is snowed and iced in, Boston experienced a record breaking 63 degrees yesterday with higher temps expected today. With such a warm Fall, the grass is still green, I've got ferns that haven't died yet, the moss is going wild, and my plants think it's May and have started to come up. I talked with someone in Vermont yesterday who is bemoaning the lack of snow for skiing. My down coat and several pairs of boots haven't made it out of the closet yet. Tonight, we're going to grill! The Midwest seems to be getting what we usually get this time of year. (Except for that amazing ice. Great photos everyone!)

Ericka

 

[B Ozanne]

People in VT are making maple syrup right now. It's 60 degrees at 8am along the CT coast, the overnight low was 58. 180 miles to the north at my place in VT its 58, probably 40 degrees above normal.

(PS, this is probably a weather and chasing topic)

 

[HAltschule]

Currently in Albany, NY (10:00 AM EST), the air temperature is 61 degrees. This already has broken the records high for the day and is, in general, unheard of for January. We should have 1-2 feet of snow already fallen here but there has been 2 events that gave us a small coating only. The January thaw normally occurs now, but there was nothing frozen to thaw!!
PS: The all-time record high for the month of January is 71 degrees. So, 60's have happened before but just not that often.

Still the strangest winter (warmest, snowless) winter I can ever remember.

 

[Dan Robinson]

So far it seems business as usual here. We've missed out on a few big snow events by a small margin, due to lows tracking too far south or too far north. Either an all-rain event with no cold air, or a cold air event with moisture too far south.

Warm? Yes, but for every winter I can remember there has been at least one warm (+70F) spell here. I always remember it because they are those days I want to take off work (or school, back when I was in college) and do something outside before it gets cold again.

I used to be surprised at anomalous events until, as a chaser observing things firsthand, I began to realize that anomalies are the norm! I'd be more surprised if we had a winter or summer or any other season that was 'normal' - that is, without anything unusual happening.

 

[HAltschule]

65F in Albany at 11am. Pre-Frontal Convective showers developing to our west. Not expecting anything chase-wise, but it is interesting to see these April/May setups in January.

 

[Jeff Miller]

South Sioux

South Sioux City, Nebraska and Siouxland area (Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota regions) are experiencing one of the least snowiest winters on memory. Only 1.5 to 2" of snow (in 2 light events) have fallen as of yet in this area. The heaviest precipitation has fallen in the form of rain, and some light icing has also occured. Temperatures are above normal, but the lack of snowfall and precipitation is causing people to notice and raise eyebrows. 30s and 40s have been predominant.

 

[Ericka B. Gray]

It's 66 here and heading to 70. The neighbors are working on the garden in shorts. It's warmer outside than inside at the moment. Time to go out and enjoy it.

Ericka

 

[Joel Wright]

With the exception of the 11" of snow we very luckily got back on December 1st, (in which the no-snow line ended up only about 40 miles northwest of us) we haven't seen a flurry since.

It does look like much colder air will try to enter the US in a week or so. Hopefully that'll turn things around for much of us.

 

[HAltschule]

Albany has already hit 70 degrees and is 1 degree shy of reaching the record high for January which is 71. We'll know if it spiked to 71 between obs. this afternoon with the climo summary. The front just blew through here with a quick gust to 40mph. There has also been a 10 degree temperature drop in less than 1 hour.

Currently, 2 thundershowers are moving through Southern Vermont likely with isolated lightning.

Snowfall so far this season has been 0.3" compared to the 20.8" that is normal. Thus, there continues to be many anomalies so far this season, including today's weather. Just plain weird weather this winter unlike any I have seen before!!!