We've been tracking a potentially historic snowstorm along the east coast for the better part of the week, and alas, after much confusion, speculation and flip-flop, the models verified on this monster of a nor'easter!
This blizzard, the latest in a series of "North American Blizzards of 2010" proved to be the most intense of all, and is showing that 2010 will go out with a bang!
The post Christmas day event lasted less than 24 hours for many and was responsible for dumping greater than 30 inches of snow in some areas, and producing 80 mph wind gusts in others.
Blizzard history map, courtesy of AccuWeather.com
Blizzard observed snowfall map courtesy of AccuWeather.com
The New York City metro area, including the eastern half of New Jersey, bore the brunt of of the storm.
Captured here is my footage during the epic nor'easter yesterday, December 26, 2010.
The 2010 Hurricane Season tied with 1887 and 1995 having the third highest storm count on record with 19 named storms. But short-term weather patterns dictate where storms actually travel and in many cases this season, that was away from the United States. The jet stream’s position contributed to warm and dry conditions in the eastern U.S. and acted as a barrier that kept many storms over open water. Also, because many storms formed in the extreme eastern Atlantic, they re-curved back out to sea without threatening land. This movie shows GOES-13 infrared imagery from June 1 through November 30, the official extents of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.
Impact aside, for some time now the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season has been compared to, or at least scaled against, the record-breaking season of 2005 when numerous intense hurricanes made landfall in the United States, central America and Mexico.
With a record 12 hurricanes forming this year, the 2010 season was the most active since 2005. However, the major difference is the location in which tropical cyclones formed and the areas in which their greatest rainfall totals were deposited.
During the 2005 season, the highest tropical cyclone rainfall totals (between 28 and 32 inches) were deposited over the Caribbean Sea, eastern Gulf of Mexico, western Cuba and over the waters in the Atlantic off the southeastern U.S. coast. During the 2010 season the highest tropical cyclone rainfall totals (also between 28 and 32 inches) were deposited over the open waters of the Atlantic north of Puerto Rico.
The image above shows the tropical cyclone rainfall occurring in 2010. This year, south Texas was the only location in the U.S. where tropical cyclone rainfall was greater than in 2005.
With the official close of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season still a week away, the season in pretty much all respect, is over. Sure a late-season storm or two could pop up, but the general pattern observed over the past couple weeks looks to continue, therefore furthering unfavorable conditions for development.
So... how did the season add up? The usual skeptics will say it was a bust, but in my opinion 2010 was remarkably awesome for several reasons – we reached the predicted numbers making the 2010 season one of the most active in history, and while the U.S. experienced little impact, NOAA hit the nail on the head with its early season prediction, calling for:
14 to 23 named storms
8 to 14 hurricanes
3 to 7 major hurricanes
Now check out the actuals:
Average (1966–2009)
2010
Named Storms
8
19
Hurricanes
4
12
Major Hurricanes
1
5
Pretty darn amazing eh? Here's a look at the hurricanes of 2010...
According to a new study recently published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, 'global warming' associated with 'climate change' could cool down northern temperatures during the winter months.
The cooling would be the result of shrinking sea-ice in the eastern Arctic which could cause regional heating of the lower levels of the atmosphere, therefore triggering an overall cooling of the northern continents. Most affected would be Europe and northern Asia in the form of cold winter extremes. You can learn more about the study here.
Meanwhile, scientists at NOAA and several other global climate organizations recently contributed to the paper, "Tropospheric Temperature Trends: History of an Ongoing Controversy," also indicating Earth's lower atmosphere is warming.
Displaying trends using 195 cited papers, model results and atmospheric data sets, the paper documents how, since the development of the very first climate models in the early 1960s, the troposphere has been projected to warm along with the Earth's surface because of the increasing amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. You can learn more about the paper here.
Not too much to talk about in weather news, folks. We're in that transition time from summer to winter and while fall tends to throw us some good punches here and there, things have been quite boring lately... well, for most.
Savor it, the winter pattern is setting up and with that should come more dynamic weather. Of course, The Northeast Quadrant will be on top of it.
In other news, this is kind of a blessing for me because work has been so incredibly busy lately. I can no longer find enough hours in the day or days in the week.
Oh, and a NEW LOGO COMING SOON! Can't wait to share it with you!
Just a quick note to share my apologies with the avid readers and followers of The Northeast Quadrant for not publishing as often as I would like during the last couple weeks. This will likely continue through the next week or so as I work towards a major deadline at work and prepare for a week of business travel and meetings through November 15.
Bombogenesis is defined as rapid or extreme cyclogenesis of a mid-latitude cyclone that drops in surface barometric pressure by 24 or more millibars in a 24-hour period.
A record-breaking weather event is unfolding across the upper Midwest of the United States as I type this. Surface pressures are rapidly falling and the winds are kicking up big time. Why is it happening and how significant is it?
In a case of classic bombogenesis, this storm's surface pressure has been steadily falling and is expected to fall by at least 24 millibars in 24 hours. Bombogensis is not something you often see in this part of the country, but for those in the tropics (hurricanes) and the northeast (nor'easters), it's not that unfamiliar of a term.
Current surface maps as of 10:00 a.m. ET, October 26, 2010
So how could this storm stack up with other notables in the region? In a tale of "GREAT" 'Great Lakes' Cyclones,' the developing storm could go down as the second strongest cyclone (in terms of pressure) to move through the region since record keeping began. Check it out...
1. The Great Ohio Blizzard - January 26, 1978 (958mb/28.05 inches) UPDATE 10:30 p.m. ET, October 26, 2010: Now the #2 storm.
2. CURRENT STORM - October 26-27, 2010 (959mb/28.35 inches) UPDATE 10:30 p.m. ET, October 26, 2010: The current storm has become the #1 storm at 955mb/28.20 inches.
3. Armistice Day Storm - November 11, 1940 (967mb/28.55 inches) and Anniversary Storm - November 10, 1988 (967mb/28.55 inches)
4. Cyclone of 1913 - November 7-9, 1913 (968mb/28.60 inches)
Over the past few weeks a variety of winter forecasts were released to the public, all of which are hinting at another season of extremes for the United States.
While the extremes of last winter will likely not be felt in the same regions, with this coming winter a new round of crazy weather could be in store for areas far removed from the 2010 blizzard-plagued mid-Atlantic and northeast.
To make it easier for you, here's a regional summary of pretty much every forecast released:
Pacific Northwest: Colder and wetter than average. La Niña often brings lower than average temperatures and increased mountain snow to the Pacific Northwest and western Montana during the winter months, which is good for the replenishment of water resources and winter recreation but can also lead to greater flooding and avalanche concerns.
Southwest: Warmer and drier than average. This will likely exacerbate drought conditions in these areas. All southern states are at risk of having above normal wildfire conditions starting this winter and lasting into the spring.
Northern Plains: Colder and wetter than average. Likely to see increased storminess and flooding.
Southern Plains, Gulf Coast States & Southeast: Warmer and drier than average. This will likely exacerbate drought conditions in these areas. All southern states are at risk of having above normal wildfire conditions starting this winter and lasting into the spring.
Florida: Drier than average, with an equal chance for above-, near-, or below-normal temperatures. Above normal wildfire conditions.
Ohio and Tennessee Valleys: Warmer and wetter than average. Likely to see increased storminess and flooding.
Northeast and Mid-Atlantic: Equal chances for above-, near-, or below-normal temperatures and precipitation. Winter weather for these regions is often driven not by La Niña but by weather patterns over the northern Atlantic Ocean and Arctic. These are often more short-term, and are generally predictable only a week or so in advance. If enough cold air and moisture are in place, areas north of the Ohio Valley and into the Northeast could see above-average snow.
Central U.S.: Equal chances of above-near-or below normal temperatures and precipitation.
Hawaii: Drier than normal through November, then wetter than normal December through February. Statewide, the current drought is expected to continue through the winter, with several locations remaining on track to become the driest year on record. Drought recovery is more likely on the smaller islands of Kauai and Molokai, and over the windward slopes of the Big Island and Maui.
Alaska: Odds favor colder than average temperatures with equal chances of above or below normal precipitation. The interior and southern portions of the state are currently drier than normal. A dry winter may set Alaska up for a greater chance of above normal wildfire conditions in the spring.
Here we are in late October and the northwest Caribbean remains a breeding ground as we now have Tropical Storm Richard. Richard, which should become a hurricane over the next day or so, is spinning its way slowly westward towards the Yucatan Peninsula. That's right, yet another Yucatan threat! But what about the United States? Well folks, this might be the one to watch! Find out in this episode of The Weathervein where Richard is heading, how strong he could get, who might be impacted in the short- and long-range and what it could mean for the Gulf coast! We're hurricane ready on The Weathervein... are you?
An online video talk show offering a blood pumping new look at weather from a personal perspective!
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About The Northeast Quadrant
The Northeast Quadrant is a highly informative blog and global interactive social community for the weather obsessed, written and managed by the weather obsessed!
Near daily blog posts and news shares about ever-changing weather patterns, the evolution of dynamic storm systems, the controversy surrounding climate change; and its effects on our cities, nation and the world, The Northeast Quadrant takes you beyond the weather and brings you closer to science through its unique presentation of incredible news stories and vibrant personal experiences! With thousands of web hits directly on the blog, hundreds of Facebook fans, and Twitter followers, and an overwhelming viewer audience on YouTube, The Northeast Quadrant continues to grow!
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Marketing and Communications Professional; Weather Enthusiast; Recreational Storm Tracker and Reporter; and Amateur Photographer
Ever since I was a young boy I loved the weather!
There was very little that excited me more than watching The Weather Channel since its inception in 1982. Bringing weather to life was the Channel's goal, and it delivered! I remember watching the local forecast as intense lines of storms progressed towards Edison, New Jersey (where I grew up), and being called by my father to join him on the front porch as he watched the storms close in on our neighborhood. I'd run back and forth between the gusty front porch that lied beneath the darkening sky to the cool air-conditioned living room, starring at the television as I glared at the storms getting closer and closer. As the line of vibrant red's and orange's intensified, so did my interest! My obsession for weather was born, and that's where it started!
With the tools I needed at my disposal I continued to closely follow various weather phenomenon: deadly mid-western tornado outbreaks, extreme Mississippi River flooding, Hurricanes Hugo and Andrew, crippling northeastern blizzards like the '93 Superstorm, earthquakes in the Golden State, volcanoes along the Pacific Rim... you name it!
Nearly 30 years later, those who know me well would say I have not changed all that much.
We've been tracking a potentially historic snowstorm along the east coast for the better part of the week, and alas, after much confusion, speculation and flip-flop, the models verified on this monster of a nor'easter!
