Welcome cold front

[Karen Politte]

Hand up who's looking forward to this cold front then???

The first cold front of the fall/winter 2005 season is fast approaching us here at OUN. Locations in the Oklahoma Panhandle are now at 57oF with a north wind at Boise City of 26mph. Norman is still south of the front and currently stands at 84/73 with a Heat Index of 91oF, and light southwest winds.

We are under a wind advisory for strong gusty north winds with the frontal passage, and are due to have a high of only 72 tomorrow.

I really like this time of year when the Canadian fronts get started. It signals an end to the incessant heat and provides a break from the long, hot summer. I also get excited looking forward to the really cold weather, having fires in the fireplace, and festivities. Not to mention wishing and praying every night that this winter will be the winter that Norman finally gets a winter storm.

KR

[Aaron Kennedy]

I agree wholeheartedly. I'd sure like to see a nice snowfall this winter.
Until then, this cold front will do just fine!

Aaron

[Robert Dewey]

Yep, I certainly can't wait for some big snows...

After this cold front comes through tonight, BUFKIT kicks wind gusts up to 45-55KNTS for a solid 4-6 hours in the strong CAA. It's timed pretty well with the pressure fall/rise couplet, which should helps things out. This is pretty early in the season to be getting such strong winds (usually happens in November)...

No wind advisories out just yet for our area, but I am betting that by the afternoon AFD, things will change.

[Andrew Khan]

Where is the cold front, it's stetching from Canada, down to OK, and then to the west, right? Is it moving East, or is it stationary? Why do wind advisories come with fronts (Cold, Warm)? I have seen cold fronts in the spring time, so I guess this is the first for 'fall'.

[nickgrillo]

Originally posted by rdewey
Yep, I certainly can't wait for some big snows...

After this cold front comes through tonight, BUFKIT kicks wind gusts up to 45-55KNTS for a solid 4-6 hours in the strong CAA. It's timed pretty well with the pressure fall/rise couplet, which should helps things out. This is pretty early in the season to be getting such strong winds (usually happens in November)...

No wind advisories out just yet for our area, but I am betting that by the afternoon AFD, things will change.

Don't swear on ST - not looking foward to "big snows" at all :lol:

The GFS still keeps us in the 70s all the way through mid-October, so I'm hoping this winter will feature above average temperatures.

[Tony Perkins]

I can speak for many in Minnesota when I say "Bring on global warming!". Does anyone up north really get excited for the season's first frost/freeze advisory? I find it somewhat depressing that summer is ending when that happens. Those of you in Oklahoma, your winter is what I would like winter to be like. A big snowstorm once in a while to play in, but without the conditions that persist for 3 months. :)

[marcie martin]

For those of us in Texas, fropas has been a long awaited for event. In the wake of Rita we've been experiencing some of the warmest weather we've had all Summer. She left us with a very tropical environment since her passage (which was not near as drawn-out as predicted originally).

For those who like playing with an 8-Ball, dare I say, I peeked at Accuweather.com for a "humor me" type forecast idea of what to expect for the next 2 weeks. No sign of 90's in sight thus far. However, somehow, we've never had trouble recovering from a brief cool spell this time of year, only to reintroduce a 3 digit number back into the forecast.

Here's to Fall...ing temps...

Marcie

[Mickey Ptak]

Well I have mixed feelings about this front. First I will really enjoy the cooler temps :) but the front will take all the moisture with it and leaving Friday, which could have been a nice chase day, high and dry :evil: :cry:.

Oh well bring the cooler temps on but leave the cold crap up north (where they actually get tornadoes).

Mick

[Shane Adams]

Yes, I am ready for Fall. I'm really hoping we get some bad-weather home games this year. Seems we've been hard-pressed to get a game to fall on a rainy day since 2002. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the early-season scorchers where people are being carted out of the stadium with heat exhaustion, but what I really love are the games where it's cold and rainy, those rule. The nastier the weather during a game, the more I'm into it.

I'm not really hopeful for any Fall chases (real tornado chances, not those "just because there's a slight and it's October" deals), so I'm pretty much into full-on "football weather" mode. I'm ready for consecutive rainy days with slow-moving systems, the smell of fireplace smoke, and seeing my breath freeze.

[Aaron Kennedy]

Shane is right.... nasty home games rock. Remember the IA-State game a few years ago when we exposed Seneca Walace? It poured for most of the game.

I remember when we blocked a punt and the kicker tried to kick it out of the endzone... except he pulled a Charlie Brown and completely missed the ball.

Classic!

Aaron

[Andrew Khan]

There is already a frost advisory in NE.

[Amos Magliocco]

I'm tracking the windshift via the OK mesonet and Twin Lakes radar. I intend to be standing outside when the surface flow swings around out of the north here in Denton, even though the cooler air lags behind. I can't wait!

[Andrew Khan]

My mom is in KS, right now, around Topeka/KS City, and she says the wind is so strong you can not even get your do open in the car, at least 67 MPH. What is causing this?

[Tony Laubach]

We enjoyed the FROPA this morning at about 4:30. Temps dropped and the winds were howling for nearly 45 minutes. Right now, cool, dreary, and damp; reminds me of Ohio! Its very nice! The relief won't last long as temps are expected to rebound back into the 80s again tomorrow! :cry: I cannot wait for a consistant fall spell and maybe even some snow!

[HAltschule]

I will host a BBQ if anyone wants to party in Upstate New York (Albany). We get great snowstorms in the winter and are 15-45 minutes from some of the best ski resorts in the US. Where else can you find -35 F air temperatures other than Saranac Lake, NY or 125" lake effect snowstorms (with CG) besides Boonville, New York.

Yuck. I'm getting upset just thinking about it.

[Darin Brunin]

Andrew, I seriously doubt that your mom was experiencing 67 mph winds. Although, suprisingly there was a 44mph gust recorded at Topeka. I walked out of my apartment a little bit ago and caught my first smell of the fall of burning firewood and it was very refreshing.

KTOP 281753Z AUTO 36018G38KT 10SM FEW014 BKN029 OVC033 17/12 A3000 RMK AO2 PK WND 01038/1748 SLP156 60003 T01720117 10206 20167 53031


http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a123/shadowoftheanvil/2005092819_metars_ict.gif

[Karen Politte]

Wow what a cold front, LOL.

It's 3.32pm and OUN has a dust-storm on it's northern doorstep. Check it out on a satellite loop if you have a good pair of eyes.

Line of CBs and storms just to our southeast - visible on radar and from our front garden. A pretty impressive CB viewable from our front lawn, actually.

89/62, gust to 29mph.

KR

[Aaron Kennedy]

I missed the leading edge. ARGH!

Aaron

[Andrew Khan]

Originally posted by Aaron Kennedy
I missed the leading edge. ARGH!

Aaron

What is special at the leading edge(Of the Cold Front)? Is there more concentrated winds, or cooler temperatures? After I re-thought avout it, I thought it would be something more like high 30's-low 40's. I love the smell of autumn, but I didn't know it involved burning woo,d but that is a good smell to. Down here in east TN, it's 87.

[Aaron Kennedy]

Well... I meant leading edge of the gust front (wall of dust). :)

Aaron

[Andrew Khan]

Originally posted by Aaron Kennedy
Well... I meant leading edge of the gust front (wall of dust). :)

Aaron

Do you mean a shelf cloud? That is usually associated with a gust front at the leading edge of a thunderstorm.

[Robert Dewey]

Originally posted by rdewey
Yep, I certainly can't wait for some big snows...

After this cold front comes through tonight, BUFKIT kicks wind gusts up to 45-55KNTS for a solid 4-6 hours in the strong CAA. It's timed pretty well with the pressure fall/rise couplet, which should helps things out. This is pretty early in the season to be getting such strong winds (usually happens in November)...

No wind advisories out just yet for our area, but I am betting that by the afternoon AFD, things will change.

Okay, don't hold me to the wind advisory deal :lol:

My thoughts remain the same though - I still think that 45-55MPH wind gusts right behind the front will be quite possible for an hour or two. Wind should remain at or just below advisory criteria through THU morning...

[nickgrillo]

I'm thinking southeast MI will get in on strong SFC winds as the cold front blows through later... Both NAM/RUC showing a +40kt LLJ spreading into the eastern half of MI behind the cold front (0Z-06Z timeframe) - not sure how much of this will make it down to the surface, but I'm thinking the DTX CWA could get into wind advisory criteria later.

[Robert Dewey]

Originally posted by nickgrillo
I'm thinking southeast MI will get in on strong SFC winds as the cold front blows through later... Both NAM/RUC showing a +40kt LLJ spreading into the eastern half of MI behind the cold front (0Z-06Z timeframe) - not sure how much of this will make it down to the surface, but I'm thinking the DTX CWA could get into wind advisory criteria later.

BUFKIT has us mixing into the 3K FT AGL layer (around 875-900MB). The winds at 850MB slow down slightly after the front, but the 950-875MB layer is still going strong at 50KNTS or so - within the forecast mixing layer. The actual question then becomes, is the model correct in mixing layer heights? Since the NWS doesn't have the answer, they decided not to go with a wind advisory. Also, considering the winds will be developing over us, rather than advecting in from the west, there isn't anything to really verify the model data against...

[Carrie Halliday]

It will only be a cool front down here. Currently 103 with 'Dangerously High Heat Index" scrolling my Vantage Pro (says 114.6 :shock: ).

Been just oppressive here, even inside the house is 87-89. I saw where we should start getting some lows in the 60s, too cool! I am planning on going home in 3 weeks, and will get to experience TRUE fall weather. I miss it.

Next week, it will be back to the 90s again, but hopefully only the low 90s. All these hurricanes are making it hell down here, literally with the damage, heat and everything else they are bringing. :(

[Jeff Lawson]

Here in Omaha, we've been in the 50s all day, with gusty north winds. The post-frontal cloud cover has cleared out in the past hour or so, but even with the sun, it's a bit chilly. I'm actually wearing a sweater!

I doubt we'll freeze tonight, but mid 30s appear likely.

[Andrew Khan]

Jeff, aren't you guys under a frost advisory? I need some of this cold weather down here...wonder when it will make it.

[Jeff Lawson]

Originally posted by Andrew Khan
Jeff, aren't you guys under a frost advisory? I need some of this cold weather down here...wonder when it will make it.

There are frost and freeze advisories to my west, but not here in Eastern Nebraska. Still, patchy frost is expected. The average date of first freeze here is October 10, so for us to be flirting with frost the last week of September isn't all that unusual.

Then again, I grew up in Texas, so early freezes take getting used to. Still, I'd rather deal with an early freeze than 100+ degree F days all the way into October. I rather appreciate the fact that, in Nebraska, Autumn feels like...well, Autumn.

[Andy Wehrle]

Chilly, rainy, blustery day here in Green Bay. This strong cold front had too much grunge and not enough CAPE for me to get enthusiastic. I watched the clouds race across the sky thinking "How I hate seeing these strong winds aloft go to waste". Of course, I was thinking the same thing at about 3 PM on August 18. :roll:

[Joel Wright]

The day started humid and cloudy, with a light southwest breeze. By afternoon the front blasted through, quickly followed by all the post frontal rains. We had a nice soaking here, which was nice to see. By the time I came home from work in the early evening, it was cold and windy. Big change!!

The smell in the air was different tonight. You can almost smell winter coming. I'm looking forward to tracking winter storms already. I hope this season's better than the last, which only yielded us about 17" of snow, one of the lowest ever for the area...

[J West]

What a refreshing night! Had some rain this afternoon, then wind/drizzle as the front moved through, now it's chilly and clear. It's about time :D The air is clean and fresh, straight from Canada/northern Plains.

The only problem is I know snow is around the corner, but it comes with territory.

[Angie Norris]

Just got home from work a few minutes ago...awesome weather :D
Close to 60 degrees with nice north winds :D...cool little "dust storm" this afternoon...haven't ever seen that before...very cool. Just wish I could have gone chasing this afternoon :cry:
This is my second favorite time of year :wink: :D 8)
Angie

[christian_schoeps]

Oh... all over the northern hemisphere a lot of weather freaks wish to have "winter" weather, at least even colder than summer temperatures... :D

After a week of sick high pressure weather without any interesting activity, this weeks our classic west circulation starts. The polar jet - our weather motor - intensified last days around Iceland. Our extratropical storm season should start this autumn ... i hope so :-)

Many of us also hope to get a snowy and cold winter with much n-s-circulation east of a large blocking high in the area around iceland within the next 2 month :D.

Snow can be sooo cool...some pictures from my last winter:
http://www.cijay86.de/Fotografie/Diverses1/015.jpg

http://www.cijay86.de/Fotografie/Diverses1/014.jpg

http://www.cijay86.de/Fotografie/Diverses1/013.jpg

http://www.cijay86.de/Fotografie/Diverses1/018.jpg

http://www.cijay86.de/Fotografie/Diverses1/019.jpg

http://www.cijay86.de/Fotografie/Diverses1/001.jpg

I like it. Sorry for the pics in this thread... but perhaps you enjoyed it :-)

Bye
Chris

[APritchard]

Bah, this cold front is not welcome here. The weather was already perfect here in central IL with sunny skies during the day with a high in the upper 70s.. with clear nites and lows in the 50s. I might not hate it so much if it wasnt for how ugly it made things. The day started off bright and sunny, but by afternoon was a digusting grey, dreary and rainy evening.. and now its a blustery, rainy and cold nite. Blegh. Yes, this is much better. :roll:

[Mike Umscheid]

36F in Hays, KS at this time (235am). I love western Kansas. Finally some mid-latitude weather to analyze on the upper air charts... +130/-130 meter height change couplets are fun to analyze ;-) Looks like we'll bottom out at 43 or so here in Dodge, mid-high clouds from that cutoff are impinging on the area... Fall baby!

Mike U

[Karen Politte]

The bad news = Norman's pit effect even works for cold frontal grunge in September.
The good news = I guess they haven't got it to work for smaller particles like DUST yet?

I guess that's something.....

Yesterday certainly was an interesting day - but totally dry here in OUN. The prefrontal wind shift came about in early afternoon and by about 3pm the winds were howling in places with gusts to 40mph. Our birdtable fell off the tree.

All we really got out of yesterday was the obvious cool down, and a neat panorama with the northern horizon dusty brown as the big winds came in, and our southeastern horizon filled with towering cu punching up into the atmosphere. There were a few nice domes on those big storms in SE OK yesterday......looks like they nailed the SLGT area......

Currently trying to figure out whether the dust-stirring yesterday has sent my nose/throat haywire, or if (more likely) I've caught something on the flight home. :?

KR

[Jeff Miller]

The temperature in Sioux City Iowa KSUX dropped to 30 degrees. According to the NWS readings, it was below freezing for a total of 4 hours. I do believe this supports a "Freeze Warning" but not so much as a frost advisory was issued. Needless to say, it felt like winter.

[Andrew Khan]

I don't know if this cold front has made it here tonight, but temperatures right now are in the High 50's. Has the cold front made it here yet?

[nickgrillo]

Originally posted by Andrew Khan
I don't know if this cold front has made it here tonight, but temperatures right now are in the High 50's. Has the cold front made it here yet?

Yes, it has... This was a very strong cold front - and you'll know when it has passed. A cold front replaces an airmass with cold air (just as the name implies).

I woke up freezing LOL... Its in mid 50s here :roll:

[Jeff Lawson]

My thermometer here at home showed a low temp of 34 degrees overnight. The ASOS station a couple miles away registered 37. So, looks like mid-30s. Before going to bed, I noticed several stations to my north and west reporting temperatures at or just below freezing. McCook was even reporting flurries... I'm assuming that was erroneous.

62 degrees right now with sunshine. It's comfortable outside, but I'm freezing my butt off inside. Perhaps I should've ran the heat some overnight.

[christian_schoeps]

Yes, it is nick! Along the front surface dewpoints drops down by about 10-11K in short distance. Dewpoint before around ~60 °F even falls down to 40 °F.

I do not like such a deep cold front. Often there is only little weather activity.

Today I got a great "backside day". Many cold-air storms formed and I got a very impressive hit at home with a nice hailstorm (pea sized hail forming hail layer). Surprising high electricity...

That's from here...

Bye
Chris

[Andrew Khan]

Thanks Nick, I just looked at the 'fronts map', and I see it's really made it's way here. What makes a front (Cold or warm) stronger than one or the other? Wish it was colder here though.

[christian_schoeps]

@Andrew:

In case I'm not nick... how strong a cold front is you can imagine watching the change of airmasses which can be best characterized by theta e.

German GFS plot:
http://www.wetter-zentrale.de/pics/Rnamavn007.png

The higher the difference along the border is the stronger the front.

[nickgrillo]

http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/model/disp...hr132hr156hr180 (http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/model/displayMod.php?var=gfs_sfc_temp&hours=hr084hr108hr132hr156hr180)

:roll:

[Andrew Khan]

Well I did not have that hyperlink Nick....so thanks for posting it I guess. But, it's not working right at this moment anyway. Neither is the RAP database..But it makes since now.

[Aaron Kennedy]

Note that ThetaE values can be deceiving (not in this case).... extremely hot/dry air masses can have similar values as places with semi-warm/moist air masses.

Aaron

[Andrew Khan]

http://maps.wunderground.com/data/640x480/2xus_sf.gif

[Andrew Khan]

Originally posted by Aaron Kennedy
Note that ThetaE values can be deceiving (not in this case).... extremely hot/dry air masses can have similar values as places with semi-warm/moist air masses.

Aaron

Okay, Aaron what is ThetaE?

[nickgrillo]

Originally posted by Andrew Khan+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Andrew Khan)</div><!--QuoteBegin-Aaron Kennedy
Note that ThetaE values can be deceiving (not in this case).... extremely hot/dry air masses can have similar values as places with semi-warm/moist air masses.

Aaron

Okay, Aaron what is ThetaE?[/b]

--> http://www.theweatherprediction.com/habyhints/324/

[Andrew Khan]

I see it deals with Skew T's as well. Thanks for the resource Nick.

[Robert Dewey]

Originally posted by nickgrillo+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nickgrillo)</div><!--QuoteBegin-Andrew Khan
I don't know if this cold front has made it here tonight, but temperatures right now are in the High 50's. Has the cold front made it here yet?

Yes, it has... This was a very strong cold front - and you'll know when it has passed. A cold front replaces an airmass with cold air (just as the name implies).

I woke up freezing LOL... Its in mid 50s here :roll:[/b]

Cold front slammed through here with that very narrow band of thunderstorms along the cold front. Had some really nice looking lightning - mostly green, with a few real orange strikes. You could hear the wind roaring well before it hit - When it finally did, we had a gust to easily 60MPH, with frequent gusts around 45MPH for the next several hours after. Power went out at 2:10AM, and just now returned...

Pretty interesting to say the least...

[nickgrillo]

Originally posted by rdewey+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rdewey)</div>Originally posted by nickgrillo@
<!--QuoteBegin-Andrew Khan
I don't know if this cold front has made it here tonight, but temperatures right now are in the High 50's. Has the cold front made it here yet?

Yes, it has... This was a very strong cold front - and you'll know when it has passed. A cold front replaces an airmass with cold air (just as the name implies).

I woke up freezing LOL... Its in mid 50s here :roll:

Cold front slammed through here with that very narrow band of thunderstorms along the cold front. Had some really nice looking lightning - mostly green, with a few real orange strikes. You could hear the wind roaring well before it hit - When it finally did, we had a gust to easily 60MPH, with frequent gusts around 45MPH for the next several hours after. Power went out at 2:10AM, and just now returned...

Pretty interesting to say the least...[/b]

:roll: :lol: And I was sleeping...

[Tim Gonyo]

Originally posted by nickgrillo
http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/model/displayMod.php?var=gfs_sfc_temp&hours=hr084hr108hr132hr156hr180

:roll:

Nick,

Am I reading that 180 hour outlook right? Its showing temperatures around 40 for Southern WI at 7:00 PM Thursday, October 6th!!!

[nickgrillo]

Originally posted by Tim Gonyo+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tim Gonyo)</div><!--QuoteBegin-nickgrillo
http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/model/displayMod.php?var=gfs_sfc_temp&hours=hr084hr108hr132hr156hr180

:roll:

Nick,

Am I reading that 180 hour outlook right? Its showing temperatures around 40 for Southern WI at 7:00 PM Thursday, October 6th!!![/b]

Yep, you sure are... I'm thinking the GFS could very well be underestimating the temperatures by a few degrees - but it still should be a very cold weekend in the Great Lakes :roll:

[Robert Dewey]

Originally posted by nickgrillo+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nickgrillo)</div>Originally posted by Tim Gonyo@
<!--QuoteBegin-nickgrillo
http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/model/displayMod.php?var=gfs_sfc_temp&hours=hr084hr108hr132hr156hr180

:roll:

Nick,

Am I reading that 180 hour outlook right? Its showing temperatures around 40 for Southern WI at 7:00 PM Thursday, October 6th!!!

Yep, you sure are... I'm thinking the GFS could very well be underestimating the temperatures by a few degrees - but it still should be a very cold weekend in the Great Lakes :roll:[/b]

I am screaming with joy, and enjoying watching Nick get frustrated! :lol: :o

[Karen Politte]

Thought I'd resurrect this thread with the approach of today's cold front for those in the OUN area who are dearly looking forward to yet another short-term break from our incessant, humid summer.

Norman is currently 77/67 - a heat index of 81. Our high yesterday was 90 - with high humidity making for a heat index well into the mid-90's. Miserable!

As of 10.30am, all of the Oklahoma Panhandle and part of extreme northwest Oklahoma have temps in the 50s and strong north/northeast winds gusting well over the 30mph value.

KVNX shows lines of showers and thunderstorms translating down the front, somewhat, with an almost solid line of reflectivity northwest of Enid to over the Kansas border.

Tomorrow's high for OUN is forecast to be no more than 61oF. I, for one, am hoping it comes true......and I wouldn't complain if it stayed like that for the next 4 months!

Others from the more northern states - I'd also love to hear your stories from this Canadian airmass! Anybody live in the Black Hills??? Spearfish?

KR

[cdcollura]

Hi everyone,

Cold fronts shear apart and disrupt tropical systems. I am not really in a "cold front" mood until after the hurricane season winds down in November.

[Robert Dewey]

Hi everyone,

Cold fronts shear apart and disrupt tropical systems. I am not really in a "cold front" mood until after the hurricane season winds down in November.

Hey Chris, you're not being greedy now are ya? You had a fair share of hurricanes this season :lol:

Reading through this thread, I can definitely see the majority of people dislike cold and snowstorms. I am definitely into winter weather, particularly big time snowstorms, blizzards, ice storms, you know - just the usual destructive stuff LOL. There's just something about the power going out, using a wood stove, the quietness of the outdoors during a big snowstorm, and thundersnow... But when April rolls around, it's time to warm back up again.

[Sam Sagnella]

I LOVE the snow --especially, as Rob mentions above, the fun stuff like blizzards and thundersnow. The cold, dry weather of late fall/early winter in New England (before the big snows come) is the stuff I don't like; just the thoght of it being sunny and highs in the upper 30s and low 40s for a week makes me want to barf.

[Gabe Garfield]

This front is not coming here soon enough! Geez...I shouldn't have worn a long-sleeve shirt today. It's killing me! Just to think, in a few short hours it will be in the upper 50s. Ahhh... :D

Gabe

[Karen Politte]

Front came through here about 20 minutes ago. It was slow-moving. We were at 87oF when it arrived, and now we're in the 70's and plummeting. Winds are gusting into the 20mph range and will only get stronger.

Chalk me up in the winter weather freak camp - I love it. Anything to get rid of mosquitoes, air that smells rancid from humidity, stinking trash, sweating, paying $$$ for gas every week because you need to run the A/C compressor in October, and all that stuff. I'm Scottish. I need it in the 60's or I die without A/C.

Winter is fast becoming my tied-favourite season, along with May.

KR

[Andrew Khan]

I want some snow here...I think an occluded/cold front is heading our way, and should be here by at least SAT/SUN.

[Ben Leitschuh]

The front just passed here in eastern Iowa. We went from 85-63 in 20 minutes or so and lows are expected to hit the upper 30's tonight. I know this is nothing compared to the snow they're getting in ND, but I'm not ready for the cold yet. Winters here suck as we usually have more negative windchill days than fun snowstorms. Counting the days until late March/early April.

[Robert Dewey]

The cold, dry weather of late fall/early winter in New England (before the big snows come) is the stuff I don't like; just the thoght of it being sunny and highs in the upper 30s and low 40s for a week makes me want to barf.

Yep, I agree on that one. One thing that always makes me real mad is when a massive winter storm slides just to the northwest, leaving us with 35F temps and a steady moderate rain, while 50 miles to the northwest receives a blizzard.

What I DO like about November is the monster low pressure systems that often develop near Lake Superior, sometimes bombing out in the upper 960's. We typically get 60-70MPH winds from such storms.

I'm seriously thinking of staying the winter in our cabin up north, right in one of the Great Lakes worst snowbelts - the Houghton area. Annual snowfall is around 250 inches with plenty of thundersnow and 4" per hour rates... Of course, that would give you the "kid in a candy store" type feeling, but you'd eventually get fat/sick of it.

[nickgrillo]

Taking a look at the models, it does look like warm-ish >60F temperatures should advect back into the Great Lakes after this weekend, through the next couple weeks... In fact, DTX and GRR both have upper 60s for high temps by late next week.

Today was a very georgous day around Detroit... This shall be ruined by FRI with the passing of the cold front. Though, thankfully only for a few days :o

One more time all, "winter sucks!" :lol:

[Dan Cook]

You can see the front on radar:

http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/6377/front9tj.png

[Susan Strom]

Winter is fast becoming my tied-favourite season, along with May.

I second that because I live in the Arizona desert. Oct-March, that is the time of mild temps. Even now though this is the last bit of the 90s, it still feels hot in the desert valleys.

However I just came back from wilderness of eastern Arizona (Indian tribal photo assignment in a ponderosa forest). It was cold enough to see my breath each day at dawn and I piled a heap of blankets in my tent, it was very chilly overnight. I forgot what it felt like to wear a duster and snow mocassins, how refreshing. The elk were bugling in the mornings too so it really felt like fall. Now I'm back in the desert and am waiting for the beautiful Arizona winter. Anytime would be nice. If it is going to be hot, why not have it be July when the monsoon is going. If there is no lightning, they can take the heat away :)

[Andrew Khan]

Well, it's now on it's way over here...and might be here by monday/sunday. I hope it makes some storms....I need some.

[Kevin Bowman]

it was such a glorious thing, the temp dropped 20 degrees in 2 hours between 1 and 3 am last night in Chicago

it has been in the low 50s ever since, such a great feeling after upper 80s and 65-70 dewpoints earlier this week

[Pat Lawrence]

Front came through here about 20 minutes ago. It was slow-moving. We were at 87oF when it arrived, and now we're in the 70's and plummeting. Winds are gusting into the 20mph range and will only get stronger.

Chalk me up in the winter weather freak camp - I love it. Anything to get rid of mosquitoes, air that smells rancid from humidity, stinking trash, sweating, paying $$$ for gas every week because you need to run the A/C compressor in October, and all that stuff. I'm Scottish. I need it in the 60's or I die without A/C.

Winter is fast becoming my tied-favourite season, along with May.

KR

Hi Karen and Gene,

We all are Scottish when it comes to hating the warm and muggies! At least those of us from the cool north:)

Pat

[Lisa Wadlow]

I hate it.

Is it May yet? :P

[Dan Robinson]

I used to hate winter with a passion, gritting my teeth and holding on until April. Now I love winter just as much as any other season. There is a lot going on for your senses and for your cameras. Ice storms, slippery roads, snow devils, etc. Winter is going to happen anyway, might as well enjoy it. Besides, the sooner winter comes and goes, the sooner it will be chase season. So, I'll say to these monster cold fronts: 'Bring It On'!!

[Andrew Khan]

Well, it's here....and tommorow it will be right on top of me, here in TN. I hope some storms develop right of the line