We had record high temps in the mid sixties this weekend

[IDemo]

I rode the motorcycle Saturday afternoon and worked in the yard Sunday afternoon in short sleeves.

But today we were struck by a sudden 30 degree drop in temps and a sleet/snow/thunder and lightning storm, accompanied by high winds. Looked like quite a bit of damage on the news - downed trees and power poles and a multiple car crash on the interstate. Witnessing a lightning strike through horizontally blowing snow is an unusual sight, even for this area. A half hour later, the sun was shining and not a breeze was blowing, though the cold air remains.

I know this pales in comparison to the killer storms most of the rest of the country has experienced this year, yet it makes me think a component of climate change induced weather patterns certainly must be the swiftness of change as I witnessed today. Sudden violent thunderstorms generally strike two or three times here during the summer, but never like this during winter months in my memory (been here 40 years exactly).

The focus in many climate change discussions (or shouting matches) seems to wind up on long range temperature trends, leaving the dynamics of change out, though I'm sure climatologists examine all such factors as well as temperature.

Boise, Idaho, in case you're wondering.

[bbinacan]

1. Please send it to PA. n/t

[IDemo]

2. The sudden change part, I take it you mean

Pennsylvania got its share of the Blizzard of 2011 along with the rest of the country east of the Rockies, correct?

[bbinacan]

3. Not here in SW PA

at least this year. But we could use some warmer weather.

[happyslug]

4. The Appalachian Mountains kept the Storm to the East of the Mountains

The two storms that dump snow on the East Coast barely made it to Johnstown and West (we ended up with about 2-4 inches, while New York City was getting 31). That is typical, the Appalachians Mountains and Western Pennsylvania get colder weather then Harrisburg on East, but less snow. When Pittsburgh and Western Pa gets dumped it is from a Warm Front coming up the Ohio River Valley NOT a Storm moving up the East Coast. The latter brings the deep snow to the Eastern Part of the State.

Here is a National Weather report on deep snows in Pennsylvania, The National Weather Service shows that only time Western Pennsylvania gets heavy snow is when a "Squall Line" goes through the state, we have had none this year, thus the 2-4 inches (and in some places 6-8 inches) snow on the ground this year. "Lake Affect" snow only hits around the Great lakes, rarely more more then 20 miles from the lakes except for 1-2 inches that may go as far as the Mountains in Pennsylvania. Northeasters rarely affect Western Pa, may hit the Mountains, but not Western Pa. When I First moved to Johnstown we had a typical Northeastern, three feet in Bedford, 20 miles further West In Johnstown we had three inches of snow, and Pittsburgh, 70 miles further West, had nothing by rain. Nothing as bad the past two years, except in the Winter of 2009-2010 we were hit with several bad Squall Lines that just dumped snow, we ended up with three feet throughout the area, but as I pointed out above, no such storms this year.

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/ctp/features/2010/12_18/index.php

In my opinion, this year has been colder then last year, but Western Pennsylvania was hit by several deep snow falls in the Winter of 2009-2010, but we have NOT had any real deep snows this year. Till the last few days we have had snow and ice on the ground, but less then six inches total, a typical Western Pennsylvania Winter.

Anyway, it is almost 50 today and I took by Bicycle to work. I am changed the tires from the Studded tires I installed In December to the Slicks I use in the rest of the Year. The difference in Roll Resistance caused by the Studs is significant, but the studs give better traction on ice, thus I use the Studded tires till the weather warms up and then change back to slicks. I end up using the Studs six weeks to two months a year, by the end of February most of the Ice and Snow is gone so I no longer need them.

[Kaleva]

5. It hit 53 today in Upper Michigan. The record was 63 set in 1981.