Weekend Shopping Weather GuideWSAZ Blog Listing
Weekend Shopping Weather Guide Topic Author: Tony Cavalier Posted: 9:52 PM Dec 11, 2009 Replies Posted: 3 comments Save Email Print	Recent Blog Topics Super Bowl Weekend Forecast, and Beyond Floods of Yester-year Great Flood of 1937 The Paterno Way Weekend Winter Storm Nearby Winter See-Saw Pattern

Font Size: Weekend Shoppers Weather Guide It’s just 2 weeks before Christmas now so while Santa makes his list and checks it twice, shoppers will be hawking out bargains before the last minute rush takes hold. This Friday evening, a quick look at the North American continent shows a cold arctic air mass has settled in. Along and north of I-40 (which runs from South Carolina to Oklahoma to New Mexico-Arizona and Southern Cal), tonight’s weather is best described as unusually cold for mid December. Snow is on the ground along and north of I-80 which is setting up a classic refrigerator effect where the air to the north is chilled by the snow pack. Lows near or below zero will be common Saturday morning in states that border either the Great Lakes or Canada. Meanwhile in normally sunny Southern Cal, the weather is cool and damp. This trend of coast to coast cold so early in the season in tandem with the west coast rain storm (that’s El Nino at work) likely points to a very active snow period ahead in Appalachia in the 2 weeks leading up to New Years. As for this weekend though, ice and snow will not be a problem. Sure late Saturday night when the first rain drops arrive from a weak southern storm, some sleet could bounce around for a few minutes. But an influx of milder air from the Gulf argues for a cold rain late Saturday night and Sunday morning with wisps of fog clinging to the hills. The risk of freezing rain this weekend is low since the bitter cold of Saturday dawn (temperatures in the teens) will give way to a more moderate afternoon when highs reach 40. The exception to the no-ice rule will be the mountains near Elkins, Snowshoe and Canaan where early Sunday morning a glaze of ice is possible. The reason we will be ice-free is that clouds will arrive late afternoon on Saturday preventing the usual evening plunge in temperatures needed for freezing rain and sleet. Instead evening temperatures in the 30s but above freezing will greet Christmas party goers on Saturday evening. Overnight Saturday thru noon Sunday, we will be in a damp and chilly air mass but wet not icy roads and dense fog over the cold ground will be our main worries.

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by Mary on Dec 21, 2009 at 02:39 PM Please report conditions in Clay and surrounding area Reply [ Report Abuse ] You have successfully replied to this comment. Comment Reply First Name: Enter Comments: characters left Email (optional): By posting this comment you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy by Betty on Dec 14, 2009 at 09:24 PM I wanted to see if I could help Marilyn out as I think the weather lady that was on at the same time as Nick Basso was Dorothy Jeane"DJ" Schroeder. Reply [ Report Abuse ] You have successfully replied to this comment. Comment Reply First Name: Enter Comments: characters left Email (optional): By posting this comment you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy by Marilyn on Dec 12, 2009 at 11:58 AM Tony, I was wondering if you could help me identify the weather lady that was on at the same time as Nick Basso was news anchor. Just can't remember her name. Reply [ Report Abuse ] You have successfully replied to this comment. Comment Reply First Name: Enter Comments: characters left Email (optional): By posting this comment you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy 3 - 25 - 1 - 0