February 19, 2025 Wednesday Weather Update

Warmer next week but polar vortex looms large

Feb 20, 2025

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Good Evening!

News blurb in AP on the current cold weather, which you know about by reading this Newsletter! I get two honorifics — private meteorologist and former NOAA official. Seth’s weather writing is unique in that he mixes in different angles like Nuuk, Greenland with ongoing weather events to provide context and education. I always appreciate being included in today’s news.

At 34°F (6°C), Nuuk, the capital of Greenland — a giant ice-covered northern island that President Donald Trump is seeking to acquire — was 11°F warmer than America’s capital of Washington, D.C. on Wednesday morning. The average low temperature Wednesday in the continental United States was 13.7°F and Thursday’s average low looks to be a tenth of a degree colder, said private meteorologist Ryan Maue, former chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Cold Canadian High Pressure is now Cold American High Pressure

Large pool of > 1042 mb high pressure from Texas to the Canadian border. That’s quite impressive. Calm winds and clear skies over snow cover will allow temperatures plummet again into Thursday morning.

Thursday morning Lows including potential records

Record lows potentially from North Dakota to the Rio Grande, Texas.

Many exceptional locations with coldest/latest on record (Omaha) breaking the previous latest just 4-years ago with Winter Storm Urinal in Feb 2021.

1°F circled in Oklahoma, City. After a low of 13°F with Lake Effect snow flurries in Dallas - Fort Worth on Wednesday, temperatures only climbed to 28°F. Low on Thursday of 14°F with brisk winds = subzero wind chills. Brutal for millions of Texans. It’ll be in the 70s next week, or even 80s, so relief is on the way.