Weather!

[Ann]

Temperatures have been below 0°C here in Malmö since February 1. Yet there is almost no snow here.

I fear that spring is going to be very dry this year.

Ann

[bystander]

Oklahoma City has been below freezing for more than two days and is expected to remain below freezing for another 10 days. This is extremely unusual. The average night time low for February in Oklahoma is right at freezing. Day time highs average 12°C (54°F).

Orin, your weather is drunk and passed out in my front yard. I need you to come pick it up and take it home.

[Ann]

Oklahoma City has been below freezing for more than two days and is expected to remain below freezing for another 10 days. This is extremely unusual. The average night time low for February in Oklahoma is right at freezing. Day time highs average 12°C (54°F).

Orin, your weather is drunk and passed out in my front yard. I need you to come pick it up and take it home.

Some years ago, I learned by watching Danish TV (which I will soon not be able to do any more), that there is something called the Polar Vortex over the Arctic. This Polar Vortex keeps the cold temperatures locked over the Arctic during winter. But if the Polar Vortex breaks down, the cold weather flows southwards, over North America and Europe.

Sweden (Sverige) with Malmö (bottom) and Karesuando (top).

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This must be what has happened now. Some days ago, the weather was colder in Malmö than in Karesuando, because the ice cold weather over northernmost Sweden had moved south.

And you, bystander, are experiencing very cold weather in Oklahoma, again probably because the icy cold weather of the Arctic regions has moved south.

Ann

[Chris Peterson]

Oklahoma City has been below freezing for more than two days and is expected to remain below freezing for another 10 days. This is extremely unusual. The average night time low for February in Oklahoma is right at freezing. Day time highs average 12°C (54°F).

Orin, your weather is drunk and passed out in my front yard. I need you to come pick it up and take it home.

Some years ago, I learned by watching Danish TV (which I will soon not be able to do any more), that there is something called the Polar Vortex over the Arctic. This Polar Vortex keeps the cold temperatures locked over the Arctic during winter. But if the Polar Vortex breaks down, the cold weather flows southwards, over North America and Europe.

Sweden (Sverige) with Malmö (bottom) and Karesuando (top).

---

This must be what has happened now. Some days ago, the weather was colder in Malmö than in Karesuando, because the ice cold weather over northernmost Sweden had moved south.

And you, bystander, are experiencing very cold weather in Oklahoma, again probably because the icy cold weather of the Arctic regions has moved south.

Ann

Same thing as here, with warm winter weather in Alaska and cold air pushed down to lower latitudes. A consequence of global warming that is pretty well understood and represented in climate models.

[orin stepanek]

Oklahoma City has been below freezing for more than two days and is expected to remain below freezing for another 10 days. This is extremely unusual. The average night time low for February in Oklahoma is right at freezing. Day time highs average 12°C (54°F).

Orin, your weather is drunk and passed out in my front yard. I need you to come pick it up and take it home.

Some years ago, I learned by watching Danish TV (which I will soon not be able to do any more), that there is something called the Polar Vortex over the Arctic. This Polar Vortex keeps the cold temperatures locked over the Arctic during winter. But if the Polar Vortex breaks down, the cold weather flows southwards, over North America and Europe.

Sweden (Sverige) with Malmö (bottom) and Karesuando (top).

---

This must be what has happened now. Some days ago, the weather was colder in Malmö than in Karesuando, because the ice cold weather over northernmost Sweden had moved south.

And you, bystander, are experiencing very cold weather in Oklahoma, again probably because the icy cold weather of the Arctic regions has moved south.

Ann

Same thing as here, with warm winter weather in Alaska and cold air pushed down to lower latitudes. A consequence of global warming that is pretty well understood and represented in climate models.

Hey by; I don't know what drunk weather is. but our highest has been 17F, The last few days & the 7 day forecast is for colder! Chris, I don't understand How Global Warming works; but I don't like it!

[Chris Peterson]

Some years ago, I learned by watching Danish TV (which I will soon not be able to do any more), that there is something called the Polar Vortex over the Arctic. This Polar Vortex keeps the cold temperatures locked over the Arctic during winter. But if the Polar Vortex breaks down, the cold weather flows southwards, over North America and Europe.

Sweden (Sverige) with Malmö (bottom) and Karesuando (top).

---

This must be what has happened now. Some days ago, the weather was colder in Malmö than in Karesuando, because the ice cold weather over northernmost Sweden had moved south.

And you, bystander, are experiencing very cold weather in Oklahoma, again probably because the icy cold weather of the Arctic regions has moved south.

Ann

Same thing as here, with warm winter weather in Alaska and cold air pushed down to lower latitudes. A consequence of global warming that is pretty well understood and represented in climate models.

Hey by; I don't know what drunk weather is. but our highest has been 17F, The last few days & the 7 day forecast is for colder! Chris, I don't understand How Global Warming works; but I don't like it!

Global warming is easy to understand. We put things in the atmosphere that absorb re-radiated (thermal IR) photons, and the result is that we end up absorbing more energy from the Sun than we radiate back out into space. So the amount of stored energy contained in the air and water goes up. They get warmer.

What is much harder to understand (although scientists are getting pretty good at it) is climate change, the consequence of global warming. What happens at the regional level, over periods of years and decades, when we pump more energy into the system? Things are tied together in extremely complex ways, which is why we see things like regional cooling despite global warming. It's all very fascinating.

[orin stepanek]

Hardly any snow in the park.jpg (46.84 KiB) Viewed 24920 times

Temperatures have been below 0°C here in Malmö since February 1. Yet there is almost no snow here.

I fear that spring is going to be very dry this year.

Ann

Hey Ann; thanks for the snowless picture; I'll send you half of ours so you can build a snowman! We got another 4" inches over night! Only -6F last night! Tomorrow the forecast is for -22F; that's ridiculous for here, & then -18Ffor Monday mooning! My son is doing the drive and walks! He really likes that electric snow thrower I bought!

[bystander]

8 to 10 inches of snow expected tonight through Monday morning. More expected on Tuesday and Wednesday. It might get above freezing on Friday.

[Chris Peterson]

Been pretty nice here. Hardly any days below freezing, nights in the 20s. Like that most of the winter. Wham! -15°F (-26°C) this morning, with about an inch of snow. Supposed to be sunny and back up above freezing by tomorrow. This has to be one of the fastest, deepest cold snaps I remember.

Lots of extra hay for the horses and goats. The nature of their digestive systems is that processing the grass generates heat. It's the best way to keep them warm.

[Ann]

We are about to get milder weather and snow, and, later in the week, possibly rain.

Anyway, gotta show you some pictures of people ice skating on the canal here in Malmö and on an inlet of the Strait of Öresund.

Shiny smooth ice on the canal. The tall thin twisted building in the background
is Malmö's most famous building, Turning Torso.

Racing one another on the inlet of the Strait of Öresund.

Practicing figure skating.

[orin stepanek]

We are about to get milder weather and snow, and, later in the week, possibly rain.

Anyway, gotta show you some pictures of people ice skating on the canal here in Malmö and on an inlet of the Strait of Öresund.

Shiny smooth ice on the canal.jpg

Shiny smooth ice on the canal. The tall thin twisted building in the background

[attachment=0]Shiny smooth ice on the canal.jpg[/attachment]

Ann; thanks for sharing! You have lovely city!

[bystander]

We didn't get the 8-10 inches of snow expected (surprise, surprise) but we did get 5-6 inches here in OKC which is more than the city is prepared to handle. Only the major thorough fares will get cleared and sanded. All side streets will remain snow clogged and frozen until traffic or weather clears them and the weather is being uncooperative. We have wind chills in the -20 to -30 °F and more snow tomorrow and Wednesday (3-6 inches). Temperatures won't get above freezing until Saturday, but we might be out of the deep freeze by next week and back to seasonable weather.

[neufer]

Watch your back!!

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We didn't get the 8-10 inches of snow expected (surprise, surprise) but we did get 5-6 inches here in OKC which is more than the city is prepared to handle. Only the major thorough fares will get cleared and sanded. All side streets will remain snow clogged and frozen until traffic or weather clears them and the weather is being uncooperative. We have wind chills in the -20 to -30 °F and more snow tomorrow and Wednesday (3-6 inches). Temperatures won't get above freezing until Saturday, but we might be out of the deep freeze by next week and back to seasonable weather.

[bystander]

Watch your back!!

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I don't have to worry about snowballs. It's an extremely "dry" snow and doesn't pack well. (I guess it's what they call "powder" on the ski slopes.) Any snowballs just fall apart before they even leave your hand.

[Chris Peterson]

Watch your back!!

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I don't have to worry about snowballs. It's an extremely "dry" snow and doesn't pack well. (I guess it's what they call "powder" on the ski slopes.) Any snowballs just fall apart before they even leave your hand.

You can make pretty good snowballs out of powder if you're willing to use your bare hands and let their heat soften the snow. At least, until the frostbite kicks in...

[neufer]

I don't have to worry about snowballs. It's an extremely "dry" snow and doesn't pack well. (I guess it's what they call "powder" on the ski slopes.) Any snowballs just fall apart before they even leave your hand.

You can make pretty good snowballs out of powder if you're willing to use your bare hands and let their heat soften the snow. At least, until the frostbite kicks in...

A medieval image from Italy of people throwing snowballs

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<<The underlying physical process that makes snowballs possible is sintering, in which a solid mass is compacted while near the melting point. Scientific theories about snowball formation began with a lecture by Michael Faraday in 1842, examining the attractive forces between ice particles. An influential early explanation by James Thomson invoked regelation, in which a solid is melted by pressure and then re-frozen.

When forming a snowball by packing, the pressure exerted by the hands on the snow is a determinant for the final result. Reduced pressure leads to a light and soft snowball.

Temperature is important for snowball formation. It is hard to make a good snowball if the snow is too cold. In addition, snowballs are difficult to form with a dry powdery snow. In temperatures below 0 °C, there is little free water in the snow, which leads to crumbly snowballs. At 0 °C or above, melted water in the snow results in a better cohesion. Above a certain temperature, however, the snowball too easily becomes slush, which lacks mechanical strength and no longer sticks together. This effect is used in the rule that, in skiing areas, there is a high risk of avalanche if it is possible to squeeze water out of a snowball.>>

[orin stepanek]

It was -23F this morning this morning, going on -27F tomorrow! That is without Windchill
! I'm hopeful though as the weather is supposed to improve significantly by noon and for the rest of the week Just a little bit each day! It is supposed to hit 0F by tomorrow afternoon!

[Ann]

We got a little bit of snow last night, but not a lot of it.

And the overcast gray daylight is back.

Ann

[orin stepanek]

A little bit shows that you didn't get passed completely by!
We should be out of the deepfreeze after today! The weather is supposed to go the other way now! Don't know how long that will last; but I'll enjoy it while it does! -27F last night! Supposed to get into the 40F's by the weekend!

[Ann]

It was raining a lot last night, but the rain was cold (about 1°C), and the ground is deep frozen after two weeks of freezing temperatures and no protective snow cover, so the rain can't seep into the ground, but pools on top of the snowy ground instead.

Ann

[neufer]

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[Orca]

We ended up with a winter storm as well; lots of ice/freezing rain and a bit of snow over the course of a few days. A fair number of folks in some areas ended up without power and/or internet connectivity. I was fortunate and only noted a flicker here and there. We did get some sledding in - the snow wasn't good for packing (there was a half-inch layer of ice to get through) but eventually managed to build a "snow girl" and "snow uni-kitty."

[rstevenson]

omps.png

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I’m curious what that chart is showing, Art (the one above the snowman, the one that for some reason didn’t get included in this quoted text.) What is a Global TOAST Analysis? I tried looking it up and found Test of Astronomy Standards, as well as Total Ozone Analysis. Not sure how either of them would apply to a discussion about weather, so I’m wondering if this is yet another TOAST?

Thanks,

Rob

Oops! A better search and I just found it: Total Ozone from Analysis of Stratospheric and Tropospheric components. Not that I’m any the wiser.

[neufer]

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I’m curious what that chart is showing, Art (the one that for some reason didn’t get included in this quoted text.) What is a Global TOAST Analysis? I tried looking it up and found Test of Astronomy Standards, as well as Total Ozone Analysis. Not sure how either of them would apply to a discussion about weather, so I’m wondering if this is yet another TOAST?...Oops! A better search and I just found it: Total Ozone from Analysis of Stratospheric and Tropospheric components. Not that I’m any the wiser.

The chart/map was my own attachment.
..........................................................
To copy someone else's attachment you can:

• 1) right click on the image,
  2) select View image option and finally
  3) use the [img3][/img3] button on the http location.

..........................................................
The chart/map is my old daily NOAA Total Ozone map product:
https://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/atmosphe ... oastj1.png
and it shows where stratospheric ozone collects over an underlying thin cold troposphere.

Five deep cold tropospheric troughs leak Arctic cold air into Northern Temperate regions.

A pre-global warming Arctic would have better kept that cold air up in Polar regions.

[rstevenson]

Thanks Art.