A fast moving clipper system will offer up a round of snow tonight across northern and central IN. Here’s our latest thinking with respect to accumulation numbers. Snow lovers, we recommend getting out to enjoy early Saturday as an increasingly powerful late February sun angle will have many asking “what snow?!” as early as the afternoon.
A quick warm-up is on deck for the 2nd half of the weekend and we’re eyeing the potential of a couple rounds of storms Tuesday. A few of these storms could become severe, with damaging straight line winds the biggest concern from this distance with any of the severe activity that potentially develops.
“Busy” is one way to describe the upcoming week to 10 days worth of weather as the pattern around these parts, and a large chunk of the East, takes on a spring look and feel. Everything from thunderstorms, rain, clipper snow, and an opportunity for strong to severe storms is included in the week ahead.
An area of low pressure will move through central and southern Indiana this afternoon, continuing to present scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms across the area. While north-central Indiana has been the focal zone for early morning activity, we anticipate more of central and southern Indiana will be impacted throughout the afternoon and early evening.
All of this precipitation and embedded thunder will push off to the south of the area around or just after dinnertime. A quiet night is on deck with cooler air flowing back into the state. This will lead to a calm close to the work week as temperatures “warm” back to around 50° Friday afternoon as sunshine returns.
As we open the weekend, a rapidly moving clipper system will drop southeast across the region, eventually leading to several inches of wet snow for the east TN and western NC mountains. Back here on the home front, a period of snow is expected to develop late Friday night and predawn Saturday. While this certainly won’t be anything like what we saw last Friday, a wet coating of snow is possible in spots as this upper air feature dives across the region. By daybreak Saturday, all of the snow will be out of the area and we’ll be talking about working in more in the way of sunshine into the mix as our day progresses. Gusty northerly winds Saturday morning will diminish as the day wears on.
A quick warm-up is on the way for the 2nd half of the weekend. In fact, highs will approach 60° Sunday afternoon (how’s that for weather whip-lash?!). These warmer times will allow a more potent round of storm to rumble across the region as we progress through the early stages of next week. A warm front will lift northeast across the region Monday with showers and then attention turns to the threat of strong to severe thunderstorm potential as we go through our Tuesday and Wednesday. More on the specific timing and severe threats (damaging straight line wind appears to be the biggest concern from this distance) with updates to come in the days ahead.
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is already highlighting the region for the opportunity of severe weather Tuesday and Wednesday.
Tuesday (2/27) Severe Weather Outlook: Source SPC
Wednesday (2/28) Severe Weather Outlook: Source SPC
Updated 02.21.24 @ 7:31a A gorgeous day is on tap with sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures into the middle 60s. Find a way to get out there and enjoy before…
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Updated 02.20.24 @ 6:22p With the exception of a couple cooler (can’t even call it “cold” by late February/ early March standards) days, the pattern over the upcoming couple weeks…
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Today and Wednesday (at least during the daytime) are about as quiet and pleasant as it can get for late-February. After another cold start, we’ll quickly warm into the 50s later this afternoon. We’ll do even better than that come Wednesday as highs flirt with the 60° mark. Patio, anyone?!
Moisture won’t make a return until overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning. We note modeling is honing in on central and southern Indiana for the potential of heaviest rain during the period (most of which falls Thursday morning into the afternoon) and we may also see a couple of thunderstorms thrown into the mix, especially downstate. A solid 0.50″ to 1″ appears most reasonable for area rain gauges.
Wet conditions will return to the area Thursday.
Behind this feature, a brief drop in temperatures can be expected for the weekend, but we won’t really even be able to call this air mass “cold” by late February standards. Nonetheless, trailing upper level energy and just enough cooler air will be enough to ignite a few snow showers Saturday.
Upper level energy will combine with cooler temperatures to provide an opportunity for snow showers Saturday.
We want to reiterate that this upcoming weekend’s snow potential is nothing compared to last weekend and we’ll be right back into the 50s and 60s by Sunday!
That brings us to early next week. While still a bit too far out to get specific, the potential of a more potent storm system is there and we’ll have to keep close tabs on the threat of a more widespread rain and embedded strong storm threat as we get closer. More on this feature in the days ahead.
Updated 02.19.24 @ 8:37a An upper level ridge will expand across the eastern portion of the country as we close February and open March. The result will be an increasingly…
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Though we dealt with a bitter start to the day, those strong and gusty southwest winds signal a regime change through the 1st half of the work week. Highs will pop into the 60s even by midweek- a far cry from this morning’s sub-zero “feels like” over the heart of the fresh snowpack.
This morning’s visible satellite image shows clear skies across our region and the fresh snowpack.
The upcoming 10-day period will feature an expanding ridge across the East and the ‘mean’ trough position settling into the West.
After another brief shot of cold air this weekend, a significant unseasonably mild pattern will arrive next week. Cold settles into the West.
The developing upper air pattern will lead to a more active storm track to close February and open March. See the anticipated above normal precipitation pattern taking hold. This is likely a sign of what the balance of meteorological spring will feature.
In the week ahead, we continue to track a rain maker Wednesday night into Thursday and a brief “jolt” of cold for the weekend.
Looking ahead to next week, a more widespread and stronger storm should take aim on our area. Though still a ways off, the signal is one that looks like this feature will be able to tap into the Gulf of Mexico, allowing for a more widespread, potentially, heavier rain event and also the chance of storms.
Note precipitable water values (PWATs) are forecast nearly 300% of the norm.
As we get closer, we’ll have to keep tabs on instability levels and available energy for the prospects of storms. More on this Day 8-10 feature in the coming days. Make it a great Sunday!
Updated 02.16.24 @ 12:14p Snow will continue to overspread the remainder of central Indiana through the afternoon and fall moderately at times. Localized banding should develop this afternoon and these…
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Though we still have a few weeks left of meteorological winter, spring and the #Plant24 season will be here before we know it! The headlines that we anticipate to claim the coming months include the following:
El Niño likely continues to collapse; La Niña state by late spring/ early summer
Widespread wetter than average conditions anticipated for a large chunk of the country, including central Indiana. Opportunity for above average severe weather episodes during the March through May (meteorological spring) time period.
Time to prep for a hyper active hurricane season along the Gulf and Southeast US coastlines.
Long range, seasonal forecast models, continue to show the current El Niño collapsing and moving swiftly towards a La Niña late spring and early summer.
This transition will certainly have impacts on the anticipated precipitation and potential of a busier severe weather season this spring. We forecast a rather swift Nino collapse and subsequent onset of La Niña, which ups the ante for a wet spring, not only locally, but across a widespread chunk of the country. Undoubtedly, this could lead to plant24 impacts (delays) at times.
Seasonal products see the above average rain expected for spring 24.
European Seasonal Precipitation Anomalies March through MayJMA Precipitation Anomalies March through May
From a temperature perspective, we forecast widespread milder than normal temperatures as a whole for the season across the northern tier, including central Indiana. We caution though that the way we get to slightly (1° to 2° above normal on the season) milder overall may include wild swings through the season. For example, we forecast a colder than normal 1st half of March, the potential of a significant flip to warmer the 2nd half and a cooler pattern to return for the bulk of April.
European seasonal temperature anomalies March through MayJMA temperature anomalies March through May
IndyWx.com Spring/ #Plant24 Outlook for central Indiana:
Temperatures that average 1° to 2° above normal overall for the March-May period.
Precipitation that runs 125% to 130% of normal during meteorological spring.
Wishing the best of luck and positive vibes to all in the months ahead, especially our #AGwx partners. Happy spring!
We don’t see any reason to deviate from the longstanding ideas on the overall pattern evolution ahead. February will continue to provide an unseasonably mild and quiet stretch through the first 1/3 of the month ahead of a pattern transition back to colder around or just after 2/10.
2/2 – 2/8
2/9 – 2/16
Note the ridge begins to break down across the East during the Week 2 period above. This is the transition to colder times, locally, as heights begin to build across western Canada and the northeastern Pacific. By mid-month, we’re talking about an entirely different pattern as a trough continues to deepen across the East along with unseasonably cold air become more entrenched.
In the shorter term period, not only are we talking about unseasonably warm temperatures (it’ll push 60°+ here late next week) but also incredibly quiet weather. In fact, we aren’t looking at another opportunity for measurable precipitation until next Thursday.
A warm front and trailing cold front will return a round of unsettled weather (rain and even thunderstorm potential) here as we get set to close the work week next week. More on expected rain coverage and amounts as we get into the weekend and next week.
