Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Current Conditions:
Temperature: 3°F
Feels Like: -14°F
Wind: West @ 12 mph
Humidity: 60%
Pressure: 1025.9 mb ê

Cold weather persists with no (current) end in sight. Extremely cold weather has continued to affect the Chippewa Valley. The current location of the Polar Jet is being assisted by a clockwise spinning high pressure system to its west and a counterclockwise spinning low pressure system to its east. This is essentially acting to funnel continuous amounts of polar air southward, which is currently what is affecting us. Over the next few days, we can expect the onset of a large high pressure system, bringing clear skies, frigid temperatures, and high winds with gusts upwards of 30 mph.

Currently we are experiencing moderately stable pressure, as we are affected by a high pressure system to our southwest and a low pressure system to our northeast. An upper atmosphere trough is currently above the northern portion of the state, affecting us by dropping pressure a bit. With the relatively high pressure, there are some clouds in the skies, though very few.

The current position of the Polar Jet is bringing a constant and cold blast of arctic air down from the north. Through the middle of the country, the Pacific Jet is bringing warm, moist air in a continuous stream, with the cut off between the Jets being around Kansas and Missouri

Mild winds out of the west and clear skies are currently over the Chippewa Valley. Chilly temperatures plague the Midwest currently though, as the Polar Jet is bringing chilly temperatures to the area.

This map shows the current jetstreams that are affecting the United States, and the affect they are having on its various regions. The Polar Jet is bringing arctic air down and sending everything from Montana, down to Nebraska, and everything along that line to the east, into a deep freeze. The Pacific Jet is bringing warm, moist air to the parched southwest coast and to everything east of about California's northern border.

This map focuses on the deep freeze that we are currently experiencing, and that we will continue to be experiencing. A large high pressure system to our west and a low pressure system to our north are essentially funneling all cold air down to us, with the help of the Polar Jet. 

This map zooms in on the region, showing the expected cold snap that is bringing temperatures in the range of 20-30°F.