Wintry Event Forecasted this Week – What Should You Expect?

The winter of 2013/2014 prepared us for the phenomenon known as The Polar Vortex. Every kid that wished for a snow day soon ached to go back to school. My Facebook newsfeed was cluttered with aggravated teachers and agitated parents.

So, what is a Polar Vortex? Sharknado with polar bears? Nope, according to Wikipedia:

A polar vortex is a persistent, large-scalecyclone that circles either of the planet's geographical poles.

That means, a heck of a lot of cold air is pushed down towards the equator and our more Southern states get a blast of frigidity. NOT FUN.

At this time, we know we will be hit with the likes of a Polar Vortex this week. So, how will the tristate be effected?

According to The National Weather Service:

A cold front will move through through the area during the day on Tuesday bringing some scattered light rain showers to the region. However in its wake, cold high pressure will bring in some of the coldest temperatures of the season. Lows Thursday night and Friday night will likely be in the lower 20s for most locations. After that, there is another cold front set to move in over the weekend that bring a light but wintry event to the Heartland.

 

Yikes, a "wintry event"! Not my cup of tea. I looked up what this "wintry event" entails and meteorologist Jeff Lyons from 14 WFIE explained:

The good news for the Tri-State--at least for now--is that heavy snow will miss us to the north, where several inches are likely. By the weekend, with a deep layer of sub-freezing air in place over the Tri-State, we may see our first flakes of the season.  A lot will depend on timing and amounts of moisture available.  I'll be tracking the system all week.  If you're wondering if this is a sign of a bad winter, I will answer that question in my special report on Thursday night at 10:  Winter Forecast 2014.

 

Jeff also goes into more detail about the Polar Vortex, how it's made and what the rest of the country will experience.