Snow Showers and More Snow Showers

The One-Day Spring Sale we had today will end this evening as the cold front prepares to rip through. The high wind and flood warnings we have tonight are an indication of just how violent the transformation from today's near 60 temps to the seasonal cold temps will be. Tonight and early tomorrow should be plain ugly with 1-2" of rain and high wind. Good times.

We could see a coating of snow on the ground and roadways tomorrow as the temperatures dip below freezing. These kinds of snow bursts are very hard to predict, but do not be surprised to see a few periods of intense snow. Unfortunately, there won't be enough snow to affect the length of the school day.

After the cold front comes through, we'll see mid 20s for high temps and the chance for snow showers for the next six days. Some period of snow each day and/or night is possible but nothing more than an inch or two at a time.

Courtesy of Accuweather.

There is some mention of a more significant coastal storm Wednesday or Thursday. Now we're talking. Our collective eyebrows are raised with extreme curiosity.

Wet Weather Moving Out; Warm Midweek

The snow/sleet/drizzle will be ending as we move toward midnight tonight. Temps will rise above freezing in the overnight hours so the chance of frozen roadways tomorrow morning is minimal. The chance of a delay is so minuscule we're loath to even put a number next to it, but we'll keep the tiniest bit of hope alive.

The rest of the week looks a little boring as far as snow goes. Temps will rise up to the 50s by Wednesday. We should see some rain Wednesday night, and there's a small chance it could change over to snow Thursday morning. It's unlikely the snow will be hard enough or prolonged enough to get us a delay on Thursday.

The possible snow on Thursday comes in with a cold front, so we'll see very blustery conditions on Thursday. Temps drop back into the mid 20s through the weekend and early next week. We're looking at snow showers only on Sunday and maybe Tuesday of next week, but still no major storms are being mentioned in the discussions of the long-range computer models' forecasts.

Check in to see if anything more develops for Thursday or early next week.

Snow & Freezing Drizzle

Snow will move in a little earlier than expected. It's on our doorstep, and we should see it begin around 11:00 am at the latest for the Berkshires. Snow, of the light variety, will continue throughout the afternoon and evening, with close to 3" of accumulation.

Later in the night we should see a period of freezing drizzle. Again, it should all end in time for road crews to do their thing and get the roads clear for the morning commute, but we'll adjust the True North Confidence Meter to reflect a very slight chance of a delay tomorrow.

Enjoy the snow.

Winter Weather Advisory for Monday

With little surprise, the NWS issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the Berkshires starting at 10 am tomorrow and ending 7 am Tuesday. Don't let the times of this advisory period fool you. The GSD Staff has met and we've decided that it's highly unlikely the length of the school day will be affected either day. One of the computer models predicts very little moisture with this storm, but the other ones are saying that we should see 1-5 inches with a tenth of an inch of ice.

Again, we're mostly confident there won't be an early release, but we do think there could be postponements of after school and evening school-related activities. We'll update later this evening if there any further developments of the timing of the storm and the amount of precipitation.

Monday Night Mess

We have an up-and-down week ahead of us. We'll start with snow in the early afternoon on Monday, and the precipitation will continue to until at least midnight. Midweek temps will spike to record highs, and the end of the week will bring more normal winter temps and weather.

Tomorrow, we'll likely see a Winter Weather Advisory at some point, as we are expected to see the snow change to sleet and freezing rain by 9 pm. The sleet and freezing rain will affect the southern Berkshires first, and the entire County will see sleet by the time this small storm ends. The time frame from this storm is approximately noon to midnight.

We won't see school affected by this little fella, but there's a chance after school activities on Monday could be postponed as well as any games/meetings/performances in the evening hours.

On Wednesday--and we're quite disturbed by this development--we may see record warmth. Highs will be in the mid 50s. Fortunately, it won't last for long. Temps will moderate toward the end of the week with the arrival of a cold front, and at this point we still have our eye on a storm that will start out as rain and change over to snow. The timing of this storm will determine if it affects the length of the school day. Right now we think the timing is going to be favorable.

Bone-chilling cold says, "I'll be back."

Be prepared for messy roads tomorrow afternoon and night. We're still waiting for the next "big one"--we know it's out there somewhere.

Two Is Better Than One

Welcome to post #300--hooray for GSD--in which we break down the Friday fizzle and prep you for the weather week ahead.

Not only did the possible snow storm die out at sea, but our deep freeze didn't even come through. Last night was cold, but practically balmy at 1 degree Fahrenheit in the early morning hours. The wind was strong enough last evening to prevent the -10 temps that had been projected.

What's done is done, so let's move on to next week. Here's what we're offering to you, dear readers:

Tuesday AM: A relatively weak disturbance comes through our area. It starts as snow, then phases to sleet, and then changes to rain by midday on Tuesday. There's not a lot of moisture, but the chance for mixed precipitation during the morning remains a threat.

Thursday AM: A possible phasing of a couple of low pressure systems plus intensification off the coast of Long Island is one forecasted situation. If this storm comes to fruition, it will be the bigger weathermaker of the week. But if we've told you once, we've told you 300 times: the computer models are definitely not in agreement with this one just yet.

Temps will be unseasonably warm on Tuesday and Wednesday but headed back down below normal for the end of the week and the following weekend.

Freeze Delays?

You might want to put this tidbit on your proverbial radar...

Temperatures will get down to -10 degrees Fahrenheit this evening and into the morning hours on Friday. Starting the fleet of loser cruisers might be difficult tomorrow.

We're not guaranteeing any delays, but the last time we had temps this low (back in early 2011), we had a rash of delays throughout the county.

Just doing our part to keep you informed. Definitely check your local news outlet or GSD tomorrow to see if you have a delay or even no school.

Friday Storm's A Bust; Cold For a Few More Days

Our worst fears have come to be true, and the "big" storm we were hoping for on Friday will ultimately head out to sea. The timing wasn't particularly good for this one anyway, so good riddance to you, Storm That-Didn't-Have-a-Name-Yet.

We still  might see an inch of snow tomorrow afternoon.

If you hadn't noticed, it's wicked cold out there! Bundle up. The thermometer will read higher today but the wind will make it just as cold as yesterday. Be careful if you are outside for prolonged periods.

A warm-up is on the way for the weekend. There's some messiness headed our way Monday through Wednesday but the word on Meteorology Street is rain. The GSD Staff is monitoring it closely.

Friday Storm: The Latest

At the nonce, Friday's storm is offering up a big whopping batch of uncertainty. The timing, the track, the amount--the only thing certain is that it will be snow and nothing but snow.

Most Worst Case Scenario:

The storm's a bust. We get some light snow but the bulk of the storm slides out to sea and does not get a chance to re-form and gain energy/moisture on the coast.

Least Worst Case Scenario:

The storm develops but it starts in the afternoon on Friday. Two low pressure systems from the west combine off the coast of New England to make a combined low that drops at least half a foot on the Berkshires...but by Saturday morning.

Best Case Scenario:

Somehow the storms accelerate and the "Least Worst Case Scenario" happens about 12 hours earlier than is currently projected.

Another near miss?

We'll remain optimistic, but the track of the storm has a lot to do with how far south the cold air pushes the low pressure systems that are coming in from the west. That's why there is a chance for very little snow and a chance for a foot (or more). The behavior of yesterday's storm for Boston and coastal Maine--a bust--should not inspire too much confidence because the scenarios are eerily similar.

But you never know...which is why the GSD Office will be open 24-7 until then.

Also, don't forget to vote for the next storm's name. Voting closes this Thursday, hopefully in time for us to use the results right away.

Inauguration Day Snow: 1-3"

Happy Inauguration/MLK Jr. Day all you snow followers. With the cold temps and the grey sky it sure looks like snow out there...and that's because it is going to snow.

We have a very minor snow event in the forecast for tonight. A few snow showers could fall this afternoon, and then a clipper moves through our area much later tonight (10 pm to 1 am). With all the cold air and the low level of moisture, we're not expecting much snow to fall. We could see up to 3" in the higher elevations, which would more or less replace the snow from last Wednesday that has just about melted.

This same system will strengthen as it hits the coast of New England. Seacoast New Hampshire and Maine could see a major snow event tonight into Tuesday. Another near miss for Western Mass.

There will be no melting for a while as the deep cold gradually fills into our area starting today and brings the temps down lower and lower. Lows Wednesday night will be well below zero.

As for Friday's storm, meteorologists are using the terms "light" and "moderate" in their discussions. While we would prefer "heavy," we'll settle for "moderate" and hope the timing is right.

Courtesy of Accuweather.

As of now, very little chance for a delay tomorrow and we're remaining optimistic about Friday's storm.

It's Winter -- Cold & Snow on the Way

Good, old fashioned winter will return to the Berkshires this week in a classical fashion. When you're talking about the weather this week, you will not hear Grandpa start any sentences with "Back in my day..."

The deep freeze that we've been talking about for weeks will finally arrive later tonight. The winds ushering in this cold front will be strong, and we have a Wind Advisory until 4 PM today.

We may an Alberta Clipper give us 1-3" for Monday night into Tuesday. This snow will be of the light and dusty variety, so we do not foresee a delay on Tuesday morning. We're monitoring it, but the 3" portion of the snow forecast is likely to fall well to our south.

Starting tonight, the cold comes in with extreme prejudice. We'll see 20s on MLK Jr. Day, but after that it's going to be mid- and upper teens for the daily highs all the way through Saturday. The only exception is Friday when the temps should breach the 20 degree mark. The reason we'll see the slight warm-up is a storm is in the forecast. We have very little certainty with this storm, but the computer models have produced it. If the storm does come through, it will definitely affect the length of the school day on Friday.

The weather pattern will be active for the next few weeks.

With one eye on our Monday-Tuesday Clipper, a second eye on the deep cold (possible freeze delays), and third eye on Friday's potential big storm, the staffers at GSD will be working overtime this week.

Cold, Wind, Snow Showers Ahead

We're going to keep this fairly short and simple because there just isn't that much exciting news to report:

THURSDAY & NIGHT: The winds have picked up considerably as part of the cold front that is passing through our area today. It will get very cold tonight and winds will make it even colder. Lows should hit +5 Fahrenheit.

FRIDAY: Cold. Windy. Mid-20s. Brrr. Plan some indoor activities.

SATURDAY: Here comes Mr. Warm Front. Highs close to 40. Get outside--make the most of those few inches that fell on Wednesday.

SUNDAY: Good-bye Mr. Warm Front, hello Mr. Really Cold Front. Temps will sink throughout the day. It will be windy, too. Weather could play a factor in that football game taking place around 6:30 on Sunday night over there in the southeast part of the Commonwealth.

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY--Highs in the high teens or low 20s. Moisture-starved clipper systems come through the area so we may see snow showers. Nighttime lows will hit single digits. This is what winter is all about.

NEXT CHANCE OF MEASURABLE SNOW: Perhaps the weekend of the 26th and 27th.

Coco Delivers

See the previous post for the list of school closings and delays. Despite our "no delay" prognostication, Northern Berkshire schools opted for the truncated day. A quick look at the radar shows that those schools will be shaving it really close as several bands of moderate snow are still to come through in the next few hours. I'm sure there will be plenty of cantankerous parents who call in with complaints about the conditions of the roads at 9:30.

South county schools--enjoy the day off!

Our next weather-making scenario looks to be taking shape for Tuesday. Anyone up for a four-day weekend? The precipitation looks light for that day right now, but Coco was supposed to light at one point as well.

Enjoy the blissful return of snow!

Down to the Wire for Coco

As we predicted, this storm has put considerable strain on school superintendents to make a snow day call. Central Berkshire was the first county school to announce a snow day, but as of 5:46 am, no other districts have followed suit that we know of. We'll keep our running tally here as the morning goes on.

CLOSED:

Central Berkshire

Southern Berkshire

Berkshire Hills

Berkshire Country Day

Hancock

Lee

Pittsfield

Richmond

Lenox

Southwest Vermont SU

DELAY:

North Adams

Adams/Cheshire

BaRT

Northern Berkshire

Mount Greylock

Coco Approaches

We don't have a heckuva lot of new info to tell you about Storm Coco, which means we're still on track for 4-6" of the fluffy white stuff.

We're big fans of this map...

...as well as this quote from the Winter Weather Advisory:

MAXIMUM SNOWFALL RATES...COULD APPROACH UP TO 1 INCH PER HOUR
DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE ON WEDNESDAY.

There's always verga with these storms, so if you look at the radar it will be a little misleading right now. As of 9:30, the snow would appear to be an hour away, but the reality is it won't come down until after midnight. We should see a few light snow showers close to midnight and then a break and then the heavier stuff around 4 am. There's a nice, heavy band in northern Kentucky that should track through Pittsburg and head our way. Just how far northerly this band of snow creeps determines if we get 3" or 7".

Best case scenario is the entire county shuts it down for tomorrow. Worst case scenario is the snow takes too long to move in for the morning commute and it snows hard during the day while everyone is at work and then mostly clears out by the time the buses roll in the afternoon. Again, a delay would not make any sense tomorrow because of the timing of the heavier snow.

Even though our confidence has grown throughout the day, we still are holding back slightly because of the low amount of moisture. The timing will have to be just right. We'll bump our confidence meter to 55 for Northern Berkshire, but the folks down south have a 75% chance of a snow day.

Get your homework done so you can be pleasantly surprised if your school's name scrolls across the bottom of the screen tomorrow!

Storm Coco to Hit Tonight

We're giving into significant peer pressure and will go ahead and name this little midweek wonder Storm Coco. Why not? Snow totals are up as are the chance of the beloved snow day.

This is good news:

And so is this from NOAA:

BY THE MORNING DRIVE...SNOW SHOULD FALLING AT CLIP AT RATES OF HALF
AN INCH PER HOUR FROM ALBANY SOUTHWARD...TO PERHAPS NEAR AN INCH PER
HOUR AT TIMES.

Now that's what we're talking about! This storm will require SERIOUS attention. It will definitely be touch-and-go for a snow day, but we're liking the timing slightly better and the amount of moisture slightly better. Coco sure isn't a blockbuster, but she will make for some very hard decisions for superintendents of schools tomorrow. And we wish them luck with their deliberations. The GSD hotline will be available at 5 am if they need any last minute advice!

Because of the timing of the storm, we're ruling out delays as the heaviest snow will fall between 5 am and noon.

Check in around 9:30 for the latest on this late developing storm.

Breaking Weather News: WWA

Despite many signs (see previous post) that the storm is not going to be "that big of a deal," the National Weather Service has upped the ante and awarded us a Winter Weather Advisory for the region starting at 3 am and ending at 7 pm Wednesday night.

The weather model watchers--the professional meteorologists--are now saying we could see up to 6", which is over the 4" threshold that triggers the WWA. South County will still be the beneficiaries of the raised snow totals, but we won't be surprised to see 4 or 5" in Pittsfield.

So...what does this mean for your school district tomorrow? This one will be very hard to predict as it will mostly be in the hands of town road crew managers and their ability to clean the roads in an efficacious manner. We think that South County schools have a much higher chance of a snow day because the snow will likely start there sooner (50%). Your chances of a snow day will decrease as you move northward up Route 7. It will not be surprising at all to see Southern Berkshire and Lee with no school and a full day of school in North Adams tomorrow.

We're definitely on high alert and will give an update somewhere between 9 and 10. We're definitely more encouraged now than we were in our last post, but we're still cautiously pessimistic.

Snow Will Arrive After Midnight

It's easy to get excited about this midweek storm, but we at GSD are in operation to give you the best hype-free information that we can. Let's look at the facts of this storm to determine if it will yield a delay or snow day.

1. Not a lot of moisture. Only 2-4" with 4" in South County and 2 or 3" in North County.
2. Good timing but not great. Light snow starts around 3 or 4 am; the heaviest snow will fall around 10 am. Might as well keep the kiddoes in school and off the streets!
3. In the middle of a winter with moderate or heavy snow, we wouldn't be spending time getting too excited about this storm.
4. The warm roads could create a period of melting before it starts to stick. When we're only talking 3 or 4 inches, we need the first flakes to stick to the roads right away.
5. The Weather Channel has named this storm Helen. We're holding off with our name (Storm Coco) as the NWS will likely not even issue a Winter Weather Advisory for this storm.
6. A day off is looming right around the corner (MLK Jr Day). Superintendents might be reluctant to give in on this minor storm, especially if a serious diesel fuel-gelling freeze could be in the cards for next week (preventing buses from working properly, as we experienced in early 2011). More to come on this issue next week.

Courtesy of Channel 13.

How's that for a cold, wet blanket? We're definitely not ruling a delay or snow day out of the question, but we think it just won't snow hard enough soon enough to merit a full day off. It will be snowing during the morning commute, but nothing that hearty New Englanders can't handle.

Do check in later on--we'll have an update tonight. Parts of this storm are potent and could affect our area in a deeper fashion if the storm tracks more to the north. We'll let you know if that scenario develops!

Wednesday Morning Snow--Yes!

The computer models have perked things up with a little good news ahead of the cold fronts set to slide into our area toward the end of the week.

The forecast for the next 60 hours is for a snow event hit us Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. This fast-moving weathermaker will bring more snow to southern Berkshire County and lesser amounts to the north.One model has the snow reaching up to I90 and another has the storm pushing further north into southern Vermont. Despite the warm temps today and tomorrow, it will be cold enough throughout the Berkshires for all snow.

If we were betting men and women--which we most assuredly are--we wouldn't be surprised to see 2-4" by the time the storm pulls out of the region late Wednesday morning. That's admittedly an aggressive early call on this small storm, but that's what our study of the weather picture is revealing to us at the home office right now.

The timing of this storm is perfect, so we'll start with a 20% chance of a delay for Wednesday.

We don't think they'll be enough snow for advisories or for it to earn the name Coco. But one never knows, do one.

Week of January 14 Forecast

We're a lot disappointed to report that the week of Jan. 14 will not be as turbulent as we had hoped. The disappointment level has been very high lately, so we're hoping that the end of January will deliver at least one of the blockbuster storms that we have come to crave.

Our best chance for frozen precipitation is Wednesday night into the Thursday. There will be snow with this system, but the bulk of it will fall in the Adirondacks. We'd like to think that there will be some mixing of snow and sleet and rain in our region that night, but we shall see. It's been awfully warm the last few days--today especially--and a lot of our snow pack has melted, so the unseasonable warmth is definitely working against us.

The super-cold that was supposed to make its way into our region won't really hit until early in the week of the 21st. Thursday looks particularly cold--high in the mid 20s--but in general we're going to see high temps in the 30s for the next week. The biting cold should move in by MLK Jr Day.

In a way, the longer we go without a snow storm, the better. When the next storm comes--and it will happen--it's going to be a big one. The trend these days is toward these mega-storms, so we could see a monster in the back half of this month.

Keep hope alive!

Freezing Rain Advisory in Effect

The National Weather Service has issued a Freezing Rain Advisory for this afternoon and evening. The commute home and the drive back from the night club could be slick as temperatures ease back down after sundown. The snowpack is keeping the temps down as we talked about earlier in the week. Be careful out there this evening!

There is liquid headed our way for Sunday night into Monday, and it will stay as rain. We could make it into the high 50s on Sunday (!). On Monday night we have a very slight chance of a rain/snow mix, but the likelihood of any kind of measurable precipitation is low.

Meteorologists are backtracking slightly on the biting cold that is going to visit our region toward the end of next week. It's still coming, but it might not be quite as frigidly paralyzing as they originally thought, and deep cold won't stay around for long. We still should see low 20s for daily high temps by next weekend, but it probably won't get down into the mid teens that we were expecting.

Try to be patient--we at GSD do think the last part of January and early February will be more typical of a New England winter. We'll see at least a few storms before the February break.

Update for Friday: Possible Freezing Rain

The sequence of events for Friday's precipitation has changed slightly. Weather experts have pushed the storm back, which means the bulk of the precipitation will fall later in the morning and into the afternoon and evening.

Even with this later start to the liquid precipitation, we still could see freezing rain. If the surface temps stay around or below freezing, we could see a longer period of freezing rain. An advisory may need to be posted for the region, especially to the north. Unfortunately, the timing of this weathermaker does not favor a delay of any kind, but the commute home on Friday afternoon could be dicey.

There's definitely some talk around the meteorological water cooler about precipitation Sunday night into Monday. Waves of low pressure will move up a frontal boundary Sunday and Monday. The timing of the waves and the position of the boundary will determine our weather. It's much too early to make a firm prediction on this one--too many variables at the moment. We'll monitor it over the weekend if the precipitation will be in any way frozen and of course keep you up-to-date.

Change is in the Air

The last week has been eerily quiet, but some not insignificant changes are about to hit the Berkshires. Unfortunately, not all of these changes are good ones for us snowhounds.

Let's break down the short and long of it:

1. Friday AM: The disturbance for Thursday/Friday that we talked about earlier in the week is still on target. Sixty hours away from the event, it looks like a Friday morning start with some snow but a quick turnover to rain. Alas, another missed opportunity. The length of the snow portion of this storm depends on how much snow (on the ground) sticks around for the next few days and how warm it gets during Wednesday and Thursday. With snow pack in place, the ground air will be cold enough for snow. With grass showing, there may be no snow at all. Keep rooting for the snow on the ground to stay as long as possible. When it rains on Friday, it could rain all day, up to a quarter of an inch.

2. Sunday/Monday/Tuesday: The models aren't in alignment so no meteorologist has a clue what's going to happen during this stretch of time just yet. There's storm energy out there, but we'll see if it can get its act together. Any way you slice it, it looks pretty warm for the first half of next week (mid 40s on Monday but dropping from there). The best we can hope for is a period of icing for the morning commute Monday or Tuesday, but the GSD Staff is not endorsing this scenario with much energy. Yay.

If Accuweather's made a map for it, then you know it's a big deal. Meteorologically speaking, of course.

3.Wednesday/Thursday: The big cold front will be THE weather news for next week. As the cold front moves into our region, we will likely see a period of snow. It won't be a big event, but at least it will be snow. Then Old Man Winter digs his heels in for a while, and the big fella ain't goin' nowhere, as one might say. Highs in the teens starting Friday the 18th, and it just might stay that cold for two weeks.

The GSD Crystal Ball sees an active back half of the month of January. As the great Walt Frazier might say, "Things will be heatin' up as they're freezin' up!"

Week of January 7 Report

Looks like the week ahead will be a mild one. Temps will get all the way up to the mid 40s as we head toward the weekend.

We may see a coating on the roadways in the overnight hours tonight (Sunday), but the snow will not be significant enough to cause a delay.

Our best chance for a delay will be Friday. The computer models still have no idea what kind of precipitation is going to fall Friday morning and during the day, but, sadly, conventional wisdom says it is going to be a rain event. The precip might start out as wet snow, but it will quickly change over.

We have an eye on two more disturbances after Friday's. One could hit Sunday into Monday and then we're looking at an all snow event for Tuesday (the 15th) as the cold front comes through. That day is when the brutal cold moves in for what could be a several week period.

Unfortunately, the GSD Staff is not going to have too much to do this week. Fortunately, the weather pattern will become more active at the end of this week and definitely next week. Be patient--good things are on the way.

Stormy Pattern to Return Next Week

Greetings from the home office of GSD! Despite the cold, plodding start to the weather year, things are  trending in the right direction for messy weather on Wednesday or Thursday of next week.

Snow showers and more seasonable temps will dominate the weekend weather picture. We'll see upper 20s on Saturday and mid 30s on Sunday. A clipper system comes through northern New England Saturday night so there is a chance of a dusting into Sunday morning.

The forecast models are not calling for a major winter storm next week, but there is a disturbance heading our way. The problem may be the track, which would take the storm to our west and eventually northwest. We do not want to be on the eastern side of any storms as the east side is often the warm side. So...the best case scenario right now would be for mixed precipitation for Thursday morning. A delay scenario would be the optimal outcome.

As far as the long range forecast goes, bitter cold is lurking out there, up there in Canada. The good folks at Accuweather see that bitter cold dropping down into the US late in the second week and in the third week of January. A deep freeze doesn't necessarily mean storms, but it certainly lays the groundwork for snow.

Courtesy of Accuweather

Final interesting weather fact: 67% of the US was covered with snow on January 1, which set a new record. Wow.

Stone-Cold Cold & Snow Showers

Get out the woolies, it's going to be downright chilly tonight!

We've been enjoying a few snow showers this pleasant, back-to-work Wednesday, but they should diminish as we head into the afternoon. Once the cloud cover disappears after sundown, the marrow-chilling cold will move in. The low tonight will hit in the single digits below zero. You might want to give Fido his nightly walk a little on the early side because you aren't going to want to be outside much after 9 pm.

More snow showers in the forecast for tomorrow afternoon and night. We could see up to an inch in the Northern Berkshires but we'll just have to see about that.

No blockbusters in sight (of course). Temps should begin to moderate for the weekend.

ERRATA: We jumped the gun on MLK Jr. Day. It's January 21st this year, not January 14th. Sorry if we caused any confusion.

Snow Showers & Squalls to Start 2013

The weather you are seeing today--windy, intermittent snow showers--will be with us all week. A series of cold fronts, warm fronts, and Alberta clipper-type systems will be passing through our region for the next week or so. We will see breaks of sun, wind, clouds, snow showers, and even a sustained squall or two that could coat the roadways. A veritable potpourri, as they say.

Nothing in the short and long-term forecast suggests a winter storm is on the way. Fortunately, the cold air will be in place to keep this snow around for a while for all the skiers, sledders, and snowshoers out there. The bitter cold we thought was going to hit us on Friday is now not a concern. Temps will be below normal as we move toward the weekend but not ridiculously low.

Our best chance for a delay or snow day won't happen until the middle or end of the week of January 7. How about a four-day weekend (with MLK Jr. Day) for January 11-14? Let's pray to the snow gods real hard for that and see if we can make it happen.

Happy New Year!