MONDAY UPDATE – Bitter COLD -Prolonged Arctic Cold All Week

Happy New Year!   How do you like 2018 so far?  We are in the Arctic Deep Freeze Cellar.  Temperatures at Dawn were in the lower 20’s, but the big story is the Wind Chill, which is in the single digits in many spots and below zero in north Alabama.  Here’s a sample of morning wind chills.

We are not alone.  More than 75% of our country is in the Deep Freeze.  Temperatures circled on this map are record lows.

TODAY:  Windy and brutally cold.  Our high temperature may struggle to get above freezing. Perhaps 33.  Wind chill still in the teens even this afternoon.  Hard Freeze Warning tonight.  Overnight low 17.

 

THE WEEK AHEAD:  This most important message is – this will be a PROLONGED period of extremely cold weather, with a deep freeze every night for the first week of the New Year.  We should be storm free, though and that’s good news.

 

 

BUNDLE UP – TAKE PERCAUTIONS:  Remember the 4 P’s: Pets, pipes, people and plants  Wrap any exposed pipes that need attention.  Protect any sensitive plants that need to be brought in.  PLEASE take care of your pets!  Bring them inside. Make sure they have a warm shelter to stay in.  Please check on your elderly neighbors.  Dress in layers.  Use hats, gloves and scarves.  Be careful using space heaters and use extreme caution with fireplaces.

Be ready for several nights of Hard Freezes throughout this week.  This will not be a quick cold snap.

 

LOOKING AHEAD:  I know you’d like to gaze into the future for any signs of recovery.  So, let me give you a peek at the global models.  A bit of a warm-up is in the cards by Sunday as we warm into the low 50’s.  And, both the GFS and the Euro models advertise a high of 62 Monday as the next storm system arrives with a good chance of rain.

 

Below, here are some of the raw numbers.  Remember, don’t take the numbers literally.  Basically, we are only looking at trends

Take precautions.  I’ll keep you up to date on any changes.  Keep our weather app handy.  It will give you push notifications for advisories and warnings.  Plus hourly forecast and current conditions to keep up with wind chill.  Videos return tomorrow morning!  I’ll have your video online bright and early at 4:45AM.  Enjoy the football on TV today!   Stay warm!

Follow me on Twitter: @RichThomasWX

 

Happy New Year!

 

–Rich

My house this morning….with Bailey, just off camera…near the fire…

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