North America’s weather varies stunningly as the final days of January arrive, a development which suggests huge changes in the current weather pattern can’t be ruled out in the weeks ahead should high-altitude winds across the continent begin to buckle. Such a change is being advertised by one computer model forecast scenario 10-15 days out. The formation of a major ridge (northward jet stream buckle) over western North America could dramatically alter continental temperature distributions, dramatically warming Alaska but also crushing the temperature surpluses of the past 5 weeks over much of the Lower 48 sometime in the 1-2 week time range. One projection of cloud-level temperatures above Chicago reduces readings 20-30-degrees in two weeks–which would place the change in February’s second week. Smaller temperature gyrations are likely in the next 5 to 12 days. While residents across much of the Lower 48 have marveled at remarkable warmth, ferociously cold air grips arctic regions. Outdoor activity all but ceased as readings dropped to -60(degrees) in interior Alaska. Fairbanks high was just -42(degrees) Friday and January is on its way to becoming the coldest in 35 years.
Sources: NWS-Chicago archives; NOAA-NCEP; Frank Wachowski, veteran weather historian
WGN-TV/Andrew McCawley and Justin Steinbrinck
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN-TV News at noon and 9 p.m.
WGN-TV meteorologists Steve Kahn, Richard Koeneman and Paul Dailey plus weather producer Bill Snyder contribute to this page.
