Another big snowstorm is moving through the Midwest and this time it is striking the Dakotas (last weekend it was Kansas that bore the brunt). Today and tonight some areas of North and South Dakota could see over a foot of snow. High winds are creating blizzard conditions. This storm is moving in our direction but we are on the warm side of the storm. This means most of our precipitation will be rain. On Tuesday, most of Northcentral Wisconsin will end up with a half inch of rain. Temps will be in the 30s so the precipitation could mix with sleet at times and it will be cold enough in the northwoods that there could be some accumulating snow. Areas north of highway 8 have the highest chance of 2 to 4 inches. Because of the snow potential, a WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY has been issued for Price, Iron, and Ashland counties effective from 7am Tuesday through 7am Wednesday. Even though the weather will be gloomy and wet/slushy tomorrow we could still use the rain – so don’t curse it too much. Our drought situation has not changed in the latest US Drought Monitor – still a severe drought. Meanwhile, for the first time in over two years, the Southeast corner of the US has crept out of the “extreme drought” category.

Here in Wisconsin, cool weather (high temps in the upper 30s to low 40s) will linger through Thursday, then we should have more sunshine and warmer temps on Friday and Saturday. The mercury should reach the mid to upper 40s late this week. Overall, a cool-ish trend will continue for the next week to 10 days. Not many 50 or 60 degree days are in the works until perhaps the second week of April.

This means there will be a tie in the latest office forecasting contest. The contest was to forecast the number of days in March when the high temperature reached 50 or higher (in Wausau). Right now we are at 5 such days and that will be it -unless the sun stays out all day today – then there is a slight chance the temp could reach 50. With 5 days as the total there will be a tie in the contest. I forecast 6 50-degree days. Kristen forecast 4. Curse anthropogenic global warming (AGW)! I keep banking on it to help me win the forecasting contest, but it never comes through, or at least in the last year and a half it has not “come through”. Our temps have been below normal and our snowfall above normal during this time frame.

Speaking of AGW, California is now proposing to ban black cars and large big screen TVs in order to help cool the planet. You know I am all for cleaning up the air and using alternative energy, but I get a little uneasy about the government micromanaging people’s lives. What other things will be regulated? How much food we eat? The size of houses?

Have a good Monday! Meteorologist Justin Loew.

Posted under AGW, Drought, Spring