Well, it looks like the forecast for -26° in Rockford worked out okay after all! We were down to -25° for only one of a dozen times in recorded history. As Adam mentioned (below) we broke a record for the date, but not that unbelievable all-time record low!Where do we go from here? Well, it can't get any colder. That's for sure! Look at the 24 hour temperature change map. This arctic airmass is on its way down to the southeastern United States. There will be some whining from the beachgoers in Florida this weekend as temperatures will be in the 50s there.
For us, if we get to 25° on Saturday afternoon, we'll see a 50° rise in temperature from one day to the next.As far as the weekend goes, we'll watch a little snow comes down the pike on Saturday. An inch is expected here in the Rockford area with higher totals northeast of the city (perhaps a two or three inch report). It certainly won't be a big deal.
7 comments:
Eric,
I just realized something......its warmer in my freezer than it is outside
I guess I understand throwing out the Rochelle report again this morning because of how erratic the station has been over the past few days.
But what I am curious about is what makes the Congerville reporting station more reliable than a place like Dixon. It would seem like to me that would be the equivalent if not below a station like Dixon's.
Garrett: This is from a Meteorologist with the Davenport NWS office "WREX: checked with the IL state climatologist about this earlier today. He said they do not consider the awos obs for climate record purposes. He said that they typically rely on the coop stations and first order stations. So the Congerville record for the all time low still stands."
-ES
Why was it colder in Rockford and Freeport and Galena and DeKalb (at least) if not also Dixon and Rochelle, than it was further north in Beloit or Madison?
Is that where the center of the high pressure was located?
Wi Weather Buff: That's a great question! The reason is the ridge of high pressure was moving into North-Central Illinois. Right under the ridge winds went calm and the temp dropped faster. For the entire state of Wisconsin there was wind...air molecules moving faster, and in turn keeping more heat around.
There's a lot to factor when you're forecasting temperatures...latitude is just a small part of it! -ES
I will say one thing eric, it always seems that forecasting is a very easy thing too do, but based on what you and justin and adam post, there is a ton of information you all have to go through to get it right. But I know you did post at the very beginning of the month that this arctic cold was coming, and you were right on the money. Just like winter storms, it seems easy to forecast, but I can't even begin to imagine the headaches you and justin and adam have to endure when looking at the data. I commend all of you for your superior work. I just hope this is the last of the extremly brutal blasts. 13 rocks.
All the high tempuratures on the 7-day have 2 digits... It looks so full.
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