Friday 2/28/14

Today's Conditions
Temperature: 5 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind chill: -8 degrees Fahrenheit
Dew point: -8 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind: 8mph SE
Cloud cover: Overcast and snowing
Pressure: 1016.8 mb

As I predicted, it has begun to precipitate around 12:00 pm. The snow is fairly light and falling slowly but it is accumulating quickly on the ground. Temperatures are quite warmer than those of yesterday, despite them being only around 5 degrees. The surface map shows the precipitation system stretching all the way west to eastern Wyoming, meaning that it could possibly continue snow all night with the right wind pattern. The low pressure system bringing an occluded front should help to warm temperatures before falling even colder tomorrow. 

Today's Haiku
It started to snow!
Scattered snowfall all night long
Is what I predict

Thursday 2/27/14

Today's Conditions
Temperature: -6 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind chill: -18 degrees Fahrenheit
Dew point: -22 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind: 5mph W
Cloud cover: Clear
Pressure: 1023.8 mb

Figure 1. This is a surface map showing general weather conditions across the United States.

Figure 2. This map displays the various Lifted Index values across the United States. A higher LI means more stable and calm weather.

Just as I thought, today's temperatures are much colder than yesterday's. The high pressure dome is directly above Eau Claire, effectively pushing cold temperatures southwest, south and east (Figure 1). This has caused a massive cold front to form in the central United States along with a stationary front out west and an occluded front out east. Figure 2 is a mapped representation of the Lifted Index values across the United States. Eau Claire is directly in the center of a very stable area, causing  today's conditions to include clear skies, frigid temperatures and gentle winds. Tomorrow we can expect some low pressure to move in, bringing clouds, warm air, and a good chance of some precipitation. 

In other news, the NASA Global Precipitation Measurement successfully launched into orbit today at around 12:30pm. This satellite will provide scientists with next-generation observations of rain and snow patterns worldwide.

Today's Haiku
Very frigid air
It's eighty degrees out west
NASA launch success!

Wednesday 2/26/14

Today's Conditions
Temperature: 12 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind chill: -6 degrees Fahrenheit
Dew point: 1 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind: 18mph SW
Cloud cover: Overcast
Pressure: 1001.58 mb

The clouds moved in as I suspected, causing temperatures to be less harsh than those of yesterday. Current wind speeds are some of the strongest in the country due to the low pressure system to our north and the high pressure systems southwest of us. The stationary front from yesterday has stretched out and began to move southward due to the high pressure in the center of the county, splitting into sections of both high and low pressure and causing ample precipitation in the southern states. A cold front is now pushing down from Canada which makes me believe that temperatures will become much colder tonight and into tomorrow with scattered clouds. 

Today's Haiku
Today was warmer
Low pressure system up north
Causing the strong winds

Tuesday 2/25/14

Today's Conditions
Temperature: -2 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind chill: -18 degrees Fahrenheit
Dew point: -10 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind: 9mph W
Cloud cover: Partly cloudy
Pressure: 1026.5 mb

While my weather prediction today is mostly correct, it is definitely much colder than I had anticipated. The wind is very calm for the most part despite the weather reports claiming speeds over 10mph. The sun is shining bright and there are barely any clouds in the sky which will be resulting in little to no chance of warming temperatures for the rest of the day. By analyzing the surface map, a stationary front can be located stretching from Oregon to Texas before reaching all the way across to South Carolina. The front is surrounded by high pressure and wind to blowing into the front, creating a trough over Wyoming and Colorado. The front should cause some cloud cover to move in overnight, hopefully warming temperatures tomorrow.

Today's Haiku
Gentle winds today
From the East coast to the West
Stationary front

Monday 2/24/14

Today's Conditions
Temperature: 8 degrees Fahrenheit
Windchill: 0 degrees Fahrenheit
Dew point: -1 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind: 5mph SW
Cloud cover: Clear
Pressure: 1026.64 mb

My weekend forecast was correct since temperatures generally remained between 10 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit and wind speeds were relatively calm. Sidewalks and roads are still in very rough shape from last Thursday's storm. There was very little cloud cover today which caused temperatures to feel below zero even with the sun beaming down. The weather map displays both high and low pressure systems out west, but I believe the low pressure will reach us and bring some cloud cover with it. As far as temperatures go, tomorrow should be quite similar to today, hovering between 0 and 10 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Today's Haiku
Sunny but frigid
The roads are still in bad shape
This stuff needs to melt

Friday 2/21/14

Today's Conditions
Temperature: 12 degrees Fahrenheit
Windchill: -8 degrees Fahrenheit
Dew point: 6 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind: 24mph N
Cloud cover: Overcast
Pressure: 995.48 mb

As my prediction stated, today's temperatures are much colder than yesterday, with strong winds sending the wind chill well below zero. The snow continued late last night and light snow still remains in the sky into this morning. The weather map displays a massive low pressure system above Lake Superior, which is the cause of the strong winds present today. The blizzard from yesterday has warmed as it moved passed, turning into a wall of precipitation that is just now hitting the east coast. Tomorrow we can expect more low pressure, with similar temperatures and cloud cover without the strong winds.

Today's Haiku
Blizzard yesterday
Roads were completely covered
My car is buried

Thursday 2/20/14

Today's ConditionsTemperature: 36 degrees Fahrenheit
Windchill: 26 degrees Fahrenheit
Dew point: 32 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind: 16mph E
Cloud cover: Overcast
Pressure: 995.48 mb

Although the severe weather has not hit yet, it is quickly approaching Northwestern Wisconsin. The low pressure system to our south is moving northward, causing winds to shift from the south to the east, fueling the storm before it hits. A large curtain of precipitation is located above most of Iowa and Minnesota at the moment, but it is heading north and east towards Eau Claire. Although temperatures aren't cold enough to freeze precipitation, southbound cold fronts will provide the necessary temperatures for a massive amount of snowfall. Tomorrow should be much colder than today but cloud cover should remain.

Today's Haiku
Very cloudy skies
Classes cancelled after 5
Stay safe everyone

Wednesday 2/19/14

Today's Conditions
Temperature: 36 degrees Fahrenheit
Windchill: 30 degrees Fahrenheit
Dew point: 29 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind: 7mph S
Cloud cover: Scattered clouds
Pressure: 1009.72 mb

My prediction for today was incorrect as it felt so much warmer today with direct sunlight and temperatures in the high 30's instead of being cooler as I thought. Eau Claire is surrounded by incoming cold fronts from both the North and the Northwest, along with low pressure systems and patches of precipitation. This combination is the perfect storm for a serious winter weather event. Tomorrow we can expect some of the most snowfall we have seen all winter. 

Today's Haiku
Blizzard tomorrow
Low pressure, cold fronts, and rain
It's the perfect storm

Tuesday 2/18/14

Today's Conditions
Temperature: 29 degrees Fahrenheit
Dew point: 23 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind: 0mph
Cloud cover: Party cloudy
Pressure: 1003.95 mb

The precipitation that was present out west yesterday never made its way to the Midwest, making my prediction from yesterday slightly incorrect. Temperatures today reached the low 40's, effectively melting lots of the snowfall from yesterday and the weekend. There is a cold front directly over Eau Claire at the moment, followed by systems of high pressure which should bring cooler temperatures tomorrow. 

Today's Haiku

Oh my god so warm

All the snow is going to melt

And then freeze again

Monday 2/17/14

Today's Conditions
Temperature: 28.4 degrees Fahrenheit
Windchill: 25 degrees Fahrenheit
Dew point: 23 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind: 3mph S
Cloud cover: Overcast and snowy
Pressure: 1014.45 mb



 My prediction was correct, the weekend involved multiple flurries of snow which continued into this afternoon. The temperature is quite warm considering the presence snow flurries, which is causing the snow to be very wet once it reaches the ground. There is a warm front directly following the patches of precipitation which may melt the fresh layers of snow. This warm front will be followed by more precipitation out west, although this time it is before a cold front with low pressure. Once this cold front reaches the Midwest it is possible that the melted snowfall may refreeze and cause considerable road trouble. 

Today's Haiku
Lots of snow today
Warm front to come right after
Followed by more snow

Friday 2/14/14

Today's Conditions
Temperature: 15 degrees Fahrenheit
Windchill: 5 degrees Fahrenheit
Dew point: 1 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind: 7mph NW
Cloud cover: Partly cloudy
Pressure: 1013.43 mb

Conditions today accurately reflected my predictions from yesterday. Partly cloudy skies allowed for a decent amount of heat to be released, causing the temperatures today to feel drastically colder than yesterday. Winds in the area originate from a high pressure system to our west which is located in the middle of a stationary front. On the west coast of the country, a cold front is pushing scattered bundles of precipitation east. If these pockets of precipitation don't disappear before they reach the Midwest, it is very likely that we will experience another round of snow flurries tomorrow. 

Today's Haiku
It's Valentine's Day!
Incoming cold front out west
Expect some more snow

Thursday 2/13/14

Today's Conditions
Temperature: 28 degrees Fahrenheit
Windchill: 16 degrees Fahrenheit
Dew point: 21 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind: 28mph W
Cloud cover: Overcast 
Pressure: 995.48 mb

I was correct about the prediction for today, conditions were quite similar to those of yesterday with some snow and even warmer temperatures. The thermometer barely moved out of the freezing zone, but it will still be a long time before temperatures stay above freezing consistently. The weather map above shows that Eau Claire is in the dead center of a low pressure system, surrounded by both warm and cold fronts. After these systems move east, it is likely that the low pressure systems in the Northwest will migrate to the Midwest as well. Low pressure systems will bring somewhat similar temperatures that will mostly depend on the amount of cloud cover tomorrow.

Today's Haiku
It's really sad when
The Winter Olympic Games
Are warmer than here

Wednesday 2/12/14

Today's Conditions
Temperature: 20 degrees Fahrenheit
Windchill: 15 degrees Fahrenheit
Dew point: 12 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind: 4mph N
Cloud cover: Overcast
Pressure: 1018.51 mb



I was correct about my prediciton for the storm heading into the south, the weather map above shows heavy and frozen precipitation over the southeastern states despite the warm front of the maritime tropical airmass pushing towards the continent. Today's temperatures were some of the warmest in a while, reaching well past the mid 20's at certain points of the day. Despite the coldfront approaching in the next few hours, a warm front with low pressure and high winds should be expected to provide similar temperatures and possible snow tonight and into tomorrow.

Today's Haiku
Very warm today
Expect the same tomorrow
Maybe some snow too

Monday 2/10/14

Today's Conditions
Temperature: -7 degrees Fahrenheit
Dew point: -13 degrees Fahrenheit
Wind: None
Cloud cover: Clear
Pressure: 1034.08 mb

Due to the nearby high pressure system, today's conditions included clear skies and very cold temperatures with dry and gentle winds. There is a large stationary front out west stretching from Montana to Mexico which I predict will eventually reach us tomorrow. This front will bring lower pressure and yield warmer temperatures and cloudy skies. 

The jet stream, as shown above, is a constant flow of wind from the west to the east. Although these wind patterns are very high off the surface, they influence many aspects of the weather for the entire continent. 

Precipitation and surface temperatures are following the jet stream as shown above. Lots of precipitation and freezing temperatures in the southeastern states could bring ice storms or blizzards to unprepared communities. 

Today's Haiku

Southern states beware

Hope you have plenty of salt

Ice storms approaching