January 28, 2025 Tuesday Weather Update

February warmth

Good Afternoon!

I’m quite happy to see the warmer temperatures in the forecast for the next 2-weeks here in Atlanta as my utility bill skyrocketed this month. I used my gas fireplace to help out my heat pump, which was running continuously even with aux/emergency heat. I wouldn’t be surprised to need my A.C. within the next couple weeks with temperatures possibly in the 70s. Atlanta’s winters are no picnic especially with snowfall.

Next 15-days Temperature Anomaly

6°F to 9°F above normal across much of the Lower 48 except for the Pacific Northwest and northern New England. The cold pool over Alaska into Washington could be long-lasting. More on that …

15-day Precipitation Anomaly [% of normal]

We can see the influence of atmospheric rivers directed at Northern California in the 2-week precipitation anomaly map. The moisture surplus extends across the northern Lower 48 along with a Gulf of Mexico fueled feed.

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Upper-Level Low lifts out of Southwest

The next 3-days of [GFS 18z] dynamic tropopause (upper-level) shows the polar vortex elongated from Alaska into the Northeast but then retracting northward to be bottled up in Canada thereafter. However, will an extreme cold pool forming over Alaska and drifting southward into the NE Pacific make it to Washington or even California?

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ECMWF AIFS 12z | Upper-Level Pattern Next 10-days

A powerful blocking ridge dominates the Lower 48 through 10-days. Only into next week does the Pacific Northwest trough completes its loop and able to progress to the east.

Very Windy with Clipper System

30-50 mph wind gusts continue across the Great Lakes —> Blustery!

The Low Pressure center is 985 mb — exceptionally low for over-land. It is a secondary low within the orbit of a 964 mb low to the ENE. These surface lows are co-located with the lobe of the Polar Vortex shown in the GFS dynamic tropopause loop. The track out of WNW limits the moisture available to the system.

Still, there is significant snowfall with the Clipper and it will certainly blow around with the gusty winds.

NWS Snowfall Next 48-hours

Next Weekend High Temperatures