Convective Precipitation Invigoration Along Winter-time Boundary (credit: Meteorologist Stu Ostro)2/24/2018 
DISCUSSION: Just three days ago, there was a very impressive convective weather event observed across parts of central, southern, and southeastern Texas. This interesting convective weather event was best characterized by convective storms being generated along an elongated southward-moving boundary through central and southern Texas. Attached above is a great perspective of this event (courtesy of Meteorologist Stu Ostro from The Weather Channel) which clearly shows how as the boundary associated with a larger-scale cold front moved southward over a relatively short period of time. During that relatively short period of southward movement, this boundary which was separating the shallow, colder air mass from the warm, moist air mass created quite a pronounced air mass contrast regime. This sharp contrast helped to generated a scenario wherein there was enhanced lifting of warmer air parcels positioned out ahead of the approaching boundary associated with the larger-scale cold front.
As a result of said warmer air parcels being lifted in accordance with the swiftly-approaching boundary, this forced a relatively rapid destabilization of the warmer air parcels. This rapid destabilization consequently facilitated the condensation of clouds and storm cells along the rounded (i.e., circular-shaped) southward-moving boundary which induced locally heavy downpours in association with those single-cell and clustered storms which formed. It goes without saying that even with these relatively brief convective storm cells, there can still be fairly prolific rainfall totals unleashed on towns and cities in the path of these convective cells. Therefore, if and when you are in the path of a convective storm forecast zone, be sure to take the forecast seriously and monitor real-time changes to the forecast as a given day moves along since convective storm expectations can change quickly. To learn more about other high-impact weather events occurring across North America, be sure to click here! © 2018 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz
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Current Northeast Low Pressure System Ready To Usher In Next Round of Cold Air (credit: GOES-16)2/1/2018  
DISCUSSION: As of this evening, a low-pressure system (and its strong cold front to be exact) has quickly been approaching the Hudson Valley of New York State. As it continued traveling to the south and east with time, the attendant cold front is dragging along with it a much colder air mass than has been in place over the past several days. This is due to the fact that the oscillation of the variable Arctic low (i.e., the statistical position of the more dominant collection of low-pressure systems residing in the vicinity of the Arctic Circle) has allowed colder air to descend from northern and central Canada. Thus, this next round of cold air will be ushered in by this latest incoming and now developing extra-tropical cyclone. You can also denote the position of the colder air in both the image and the animated satellite imagery attached above via the darker blue-colored region over northern Michigan and southern/southeastern Canada.
Thus, this colder air rushing into both interior and coastal sections of the Northeastern United States is facilitating the occurrence of a brief (but in some cases) heavy burst of wet snow. Hence, many roads such as (but certainly not limited to) Interstate 81 North/South as well as the New York Thruway will quickly become incredibly hazardous to drive on both tonight and throughout the day tomorrow. This is also due in part to the fact that surface and near-surface air temperatures will be quickly falling well-below the freezing mark tonight. Thus, any untreated roads and surfaces will quickly and effectively become complete "ice rinks." Therefore, if you need to travel tonight and/or tomorrow, be sure to leave extra time when heading out since the roads will still make for a slow go of it come the morning rush across many parts of the coastal and semi-interior Northeast. To learn more about other high-impact weather events occurring across North America, be sure to click here! © 2018 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz |
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