Lake Effect Snow in the Lower Great Lakes; Unsettled Pattern in the Pacific Northwest

Lake-effect snow will continue downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario through Friday. Lake Effect Snow Warnings have been issued. In the Western U.S., rain and higher elevation snow will continue over the Great Basin through Friday. A front will move over the Pacific Northwest this afternoon and produce light rain and higher elevation snow over the Cascades through Saturday. Read More >

With all the crazy weather in December and warmth preceding it, it’s hard to believe that January was several degrees below average. But, after the mid-December Derecho, we plunged right into the depths of winter, and January brought several episodes of snow and cold. While the cold was generally not record-breaking, it was consistently cold for most of the month. Snow and liquid equivalent precipitation was generally below average, though a rogue lake-effect snow event brought Duluth’s snow totals just above average. Drought status remains relatively unchanged per the US Drought Monitor, and Lake Superior’s water levels are now likely to remain below average as we go into spring.

Per CPC’s forecasts, the rest of February may feature cooler temperatures and higher precipitation than normal with drought persisting (but possibly improving going into spring).