[square peg]

Hard to say... I have no idea what to predict these days. Two years ago we had more snow than anyone could reasonably expect and then last year - a Joisey winter. The one constant is that we haven't experienced extreme cold, like -30/40 for about 5 years - which isn't exactly breakin' my heart.

[68vette]

Originally Posted by square peg

Hard to say... I have no idea what to predict these days. Two years ago we had more snow than anyone could reasonably expect and then last year - a Joisey winter. The one constant is that we haven't experienced extreme cold, like -30/40 for about 5 years - which isn't exactly breakin' my heart.

I agree with the whole extreme cold. I think the warmer temps are tied to the amount of snow we have or haven't been getting. Winters are getting more mild, there is solid proof in that. I think the snow we had two years ago just happened out of chance. The temps have been on a rise for several years now. I think the precipitation just happened to fall on cold days. If you think about it, if the rain we have had for the past several days were on cold days, I'm sure we would have had a foot or more of snow.
My father used to talk about snow falls in CT back in the 30's and 40's. It is not that uncommon for winters with no snowfall now in Southwestern CT.
Tonight will be colder, but then temps are supposed to warm up again at the end of the week. December temps are normally around the freezing mark or below. We are in December with average temps in the 40's and 50's (over ten degrees above normal).

[Hopes]

Winters are only getting temporarily mild. The jet streams move in cycles cycles. Trust me, you'll have your -30/40 within the next 5 years, 10 at the most.

[Cambium]

NWS Burlington has a mixed bag in their discussion. We have a series of systems and waves coming up. We'll be busy next couple weeks. I have a feeling Vermont will get some decent snow by mid month. Heads up Sunday night Monday

SUGGEST MAINLY RAIN SUNDAY NIGHT IN THE CHAMPLAIN AND ST. LAWRENCE
VALLEYS. MAY SEE POCKETS OF SLEET IN THE ADIRONDACKS. COLDER AIR
HOLDS IN PLACE LONGER EAST OF THE GREEN MTNS WITH MIX OF
SNOW/SLEET FOR EASTERN VT SUNDAY NIGHT WITH LIKELY POPS. COULD BE
A PERIOD OF FREEZING RAIN AROUND DAYBREAK MONDAY IN THE NORTHEAST
KINGDOM. MAY SEE SOME TRAVEL IMPACTS CENTRAL/ERN VT THROUGH 14-15Z
MONDAY BASED ON WINTRY MIX AND WILL NEED TO MONITOR

[Cambium]

I put this animation together from the latest NAm that just came out... It shows the precip type
Orange is sleet. Red is Freezing rain. Blue is snow.

Sunday 4pm to Monday 1am.

[68vette]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Winters are only getting temporarily mild. The jet streams move in cycles cycles. Trust me, you'll have your -30/40 within the next 5 years, 10 at the most.

I'm not sure unless you know something the climatologists don't. The USDA has even increased our climate zones, which they don't do unless there is change. NOAA has a chart showing annual temperatures from 1910-2011, and since the late 1970's the temperatures have been rising. Since 1979, there have only been three winters with below average temps in the northeast. All three were in the 1980's. I think we will still get heavy snows, because it really does not have to be freezing cold for it to snow, but only small areas of the state will experience the -30-40 degree days. We never had many of them since I moved here in 95. Usually one or two nights per year.

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by 68vette

Since 1979, there have only been three winters with below average temps in the northeast. All three were in the 1980's..

Hmmm. 3 since 1979?? I have to ask.. where did you get this info. Not only is it scary but it cant be right. Maybe its a typo? What areas does it cover? Right off the bat I remembered 2009-2010 being below normal. Since 1979 there have been plenty.

[square peg]

Trying like heck to understand the graphic, Cambium. Not sure what the numbers represent.

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by square peg

Trying like heck to understand the graphic, Cambium. Not sure what the numbers represent.

lol. No problem. Just to explain further for others... Thats a regional map showing different regions of the U.S. The colors pretty much straight forward. Blues show where it was below normal. Northeast was below normal for Dec-Jan-Feb that winter. The numbers represent how far from the record it was. #1 being record coldest. #116 record warmest. So basically we were 39th coolest winter that year.

Here's the link. If you click on "statewide" ranks you see each individual states. Vermont was normal that winter but since "NorthEast" as a whole was mentioned I figured I throw that map up.

National Temperature and Precipitation Maps | December 2010 - February 2011

[68vette]

Originally Posted by Cambium

Hmmm. 3 since 1979?? I have to ask.. where did you get this info. Not only is it scary but it cant be right. Maybe its a typo? What areas does it cover? Right off the bat I remembered 2009-2010 being below normal. Since 1979 there have been plenty.

I was looking at the NOAA data for January-December, the data looked at the entire year, not just winter. U.S. Climate Extremes Index
Looking at the winter only, there were still only about three winters with extremely cold winters in the Northeast. The discussion was about extremely cold winters (-30/-40 degrees). U.S. Climate Extremes Index