Not like the winter of 2013-2014, the warmer winter of 2014-2015 has created lots of snow and precipitation along the northeastern coast. There are so many reasons for us to envision that the season is going to be bad for the northeast, with El Nino and all predicted and occurring, but mostly the mass of Noreaster Low Pressure Centers. When you are watching the weather, any time a high or low pressure center builds east of the Rocky Mountains, you should look to see if another is building or forming in the Atlantic. This is the noreaster train of pain, that builds in the midwest, and needs the momentum of low pressure from the ocean to create a perfect storm.
Warmer Winter in the Midwest and West Coast
Most of the country in the winter of 2014-2015 is enjoying warmer than expected temperatures of up to 20 degrees more than normal. This is an exceptionally warm winter, with much precipitation coming to most of the country in the form of rain. Only the upper midwest, mountain areas in the west, and upper northeast have experienced a snow pack this year. The snow in Colorado was early and often this year, creating a lovely warm winter in Denver, and a cold enough departure for snow in the upper areas of the bowls and ski areas.
Warmer Winter Trends from Jet Stream
With the jet stream staying further north, and not dipping into the lower parts of the country, snow fall totals have been far less to zero than the previous winter. The snow is not even worth mentioning, as it has been warm enough to ensure that winter will not hit parts of Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Tennessee, and even Ohio. Upper parts of the Pennsylvania turnpike were nailed with lakefront snow of crazy depths, and this year half of Buffalo has snow and the other does not. And, going into Iowa, and upper Illinois and Chicago, they have had one of the snowiest seasons in a 30 year period. The crutch of this winter, will be the warmer winter pattern, that bumps right up against the jet stream.
With the large population in the Boston Area, many businesses closed and roads covered with slippery conditions, there are so many people who have had travel and non productive delays. People have died in accidents during this warmer winter, and other areas may have seen an improvement where others have not. The reality is the warmer winter of 2014-2015 is truly a weather prediction center nightmare. How much snow and where will it land is sometimes up to the momentary prevailing winds.
Warmer Winter is Delaying Some Winter Events
In Minneapolis and St. Paul, open water has ended some winter lake activities, and there are changes under foot to move some events to other areas. It really will be interesting to see how February and March of 2015 result in snowfall and temperatures. In the St. Paul area, some of the winter carnival sculptures saw significant damage due to the warmer winter. Keep in touch to see how our warmer winter impacts you; either with snow or warmer winter sunny days.