As we dry out today and Wednesday, it will be a slow process with areas of low clouds and fog. Those east winds should reach us later Wednesday and finally we achieve some clear skies. That will allow overnight temperatures to drop into the 20s. Our highs will be close to 40 degrees all week and depending how cold things get east of us, maybe a little less. Certainly not looking as cold as it was the other day.
High pressure in the form of an omega block (think mathematical symbol) will shunt storms well north into Alaska and then down through Canada east of the Rockies. We will remain in a cool northerly flow. This is not a real die-hard arctic outbreak, only a normal cool December event. In fact, at times the coast and the mountains may be warmer than here in the valley.
Forecast models have difficulty breaking this type of weather pattern and over the weekend some say we receive a little snow or a snow-rain mix. Too early to say how that will come about. Remember our snow events, mostly marginal, are touch and go until the last day or so. How about earlier in the month?
I forgot to mention last week that this month is my 32nd year writing this column. Plenty of weather has gone by for sure. I wrote these words in that premiere column on Dec. 3, 1990. “Switching from afterthoughts of the Pineapple Express to possible expectations of the Siberian Express. Those snowflakes seen around the county Saturday were a reminder that there is winter weather ahead. Temperatures in Alaska have been running far below zero and with recent southward dips of the jet stream, local snowfall probabilities may increase.”
