Sunday, January 06, 2008

January thaw!

A nice January thaw in progress over southern MB with afternoon temperatures above the freezing mark in Winnipeg.. our first above freezing temperature since Nov 19th. Normal highs right now are around -13C so we are running way above normal. The mild temperatures and occasional sunshine will help to melt that bit of freezing rain from last night that gave some slippery conditions this morning.

10 comments:

  1. Temperature in Steinbach was 4.6 yesterday according to Manitoba Agriculture's weather station.

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  2. Even the frozen tundra that is Winnipeg airport reached 3 C yesterday... Incredible warmth to our south...

    An aggressive flow off the warm waters of the gulf has enveloped the Midwest thru southern Ontario. Wow...temps in the low twenties with a tornado watch as far north as Chicago ... now that's a real thaw!

    Those balmy temperatures would feel so nice ...imagine 20 degress and no more snow ... I cant believe people out east complain that they don't get enough "winter weather"

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  3. I was reading the Canadian Weather forum, and came a across a shocking thread. They were saying that there was a Tornado Watch for Windsor yesterday. This is very surprising as just the temperature and moisture alone to make strong enough thunderstorms for this to happen must have been incredible.

    I wonder how many times a Tornado Watch has been issued in Canada in January?

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  4. Scott..

    There was a line of severe thunderstorms from the central Plains right into southern Wisconsin and Michigan with isolated tornadoes reported, even a death in Missouri. January tornadoes do happen from time to time, but generally over the Gulf Coast of the US where's there more heat and moisture available. It's almost unheard of as far north as it was yesterday, but then it was almost Gulf-like into the Great Lakes with temperatures in the mid teens, and dewpoints around +10. That along with a strong jet and fairly good shear were enough to produce these rare January tornadoes so far north.

    That being said, I don't ever recall a tornado watch ever issued in southern Ontario in January.. that must indeed be a first.

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  5. You won't see an event like that happen every winter!

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  6. It truly was one for the record books!

    I've been busy gathering information (RADAR, mainly) and hope to have it posted tomorrow. I'll let you know!

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  7. Thanks Dave.. looking forward to those images. In addition to the tornadoes, there was an impressive bow-echo squall line that went through southern Ontario and western NY early this morning with wind gusts of 55-65 kt. Would be great to see Buffalo NEXRAD radar if you can get it..

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  8. Okay the RADAR imagery is up there.

    The tornado outbreak:
    http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/environment/envirogeog/weather/jan708outbreak.html

    The squall line:
    http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/environment/envirogeog/weather/janinbuf.html

    Enjoy.
    Dave

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  9. Thanks Dave..

    Very impressive images.. especially for early January! Mother Nature never ceases to amaze..

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