STORM2K

I am here in on the East side of Houston - and just watched the local news and is shows temps in and around the Houston area to be between 39 and 43 degrees - while just 30 miles north of Houston - temps are 30 degrees and lower.

Why isn't the COLD artic air filtering down to Houston and points East and South? In my amatuer mind - what I see is like a shield that is blocking this cold air.

If anyone can provide a logical explanation - I would like to hear it. It seems like we have a warm pocket of air over us.

BTW its currently 40 degrees and misting rain.

Thanks for your help.

Patricia aka Ticka1

based on what I saw on the local weather tonight. The basics are that we are getting the beginning of a warm up from the Artic high beginning to move east and therefore starting to move winds around to the East. At the same time the low and the front causing the winter precip are quickly moving NE away from us so it "slides" by just to the N of Houston even though areas in S TX got snow.

However radar shows another possible disturbance beginning to build in far SW TX. The hill country is already experiencing it's second night with freezing precipitation. If it becomes strong enough it could pull more of the cold air down with it especially if it tracks S of the Houston area. And if there is an overrunning effect with the moisture we might see the possibility of some winter precip. in the Houston Metro area. Also there is a major storm moving in from the west through AZ and NM, but it is not expected to bring us winter precip., just our usual COLD RAIN!!

The basics are

You are getting the shaft

but I am too! Sneaux - so close yet so far away!

Cajunmama, it's just not our year. Time to start looking forward to the spring storms and hurricane season, although i know we really don't want to see any storms around here this year!

ticka1 wrote:I am here in on the East side of Houston - and just watched the local news and is shows temps in and around the Houston area to be between 39 and 43 degrees - while just 30 miles north of Houston - temps are 30 degrees and lower.

Why isn't the COLD artic air filtering down to Houston and points East and South? In my amatuer mind - what I see is like a shield that is blocking this cold air.

If anyone can provide a logical explanation - I would like to hear it. It seems like we have a warm pocket of air over us.

BTW its currently 40 degrees and misting rain.

Thanks for your help.

Patricia aka Ticka1

Patricia,
Welcome to the wonderful world of Microclimatology,Elevation,snowpack,WAA(Warm Air Advection),GOM SST Influence,500mb,300mb,Sfc Winds, Rh/DP/Temp,Saturation,your axis vs proximity to the ULL or Sfc Low,Urban Heat Island Affects,AWOS(Automatic Wx Observation Station) at one of many airports(ie:IAH vs Hobby,etc)and the time the report is logged as well as how old the report is,wind direction,cloud cover(which insulates the lower atmosphere thereby modifying Sfc Temps),clear air radiational cooling,as warm air escapes quickly in a clear lower atmosphere)ALL of which may be totally different from your location.
This is why a home Wx station is so important to those that want the real Obs in the overused term..MY Back Yard!.
I trust this helps...
Be Well & Safe

IMO I think its the flow off the GOM that prohibited us from getting below freezing and receiving any winter precipation.

Now its time for us to leave winter and look forward to spring and 2003 hurricane season.

Patricia aka Ticka1

I vote for the shaft too!! LOL

If you want cold air, come to Ohio and visit. You'll get sick of it!

LoL, ticka, I have learned that great lesson - "be careful what
you ask for". In January, I was jumping up and down, yelling,
"Where's our snow? I want snow!"
Wxbuddies said, "Be patient - you'll get your snow." I doubted.
"I want snow! I want a real winter!"

By now, we've seen snow, sleet, ice...everyone is grumbling,
growling...asking God for signs of Spring! LoL, myself included!

We humans are funny people....