Being in the weather business means that we often get asked a lot of questions about the weather. These questions range from simple to complex, but one of the most common ones that we are asked is this: ‘Is this weather normal?’
This question came up often after the Polar Vortex that consumed the Midwest for over almost a week in January and snow piles seemingly growing exponentially since then.
One of the primary variables that weather is affected by is the jet stream, which changes based on the temperature differences between the north and south latitudes. These temperature differentials are greatest from mid-fall until mid-spring, moving the track of the jet stream towards the middle latitudes where most of the Midwestern parts of the United States lie.
For example, December brought mild temperatures and relatively little snowfall to the Midwest. These weather patterns led many to expect that the remainder of the winter would remain relatively mild. The Polar Vortex that set in during the last week of January proved that expectation to be false. While startling, this “flip” in weather is not unusual in the slightest.
Sunrise taken during the polar vortex looking towards Central Avenue Bridge, Minneapolis, Minnesota, AmericaWhile these patterns may be considered normal, temperatures have been rising by 0.5 to 1.0 degrees over the past few decades in most areas of the country, especially major cities.
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