Bolaris: The March lion will roar
It's too early to tell but polar winds and Gulf moisture will combine to drop either snow, ice or rain by Monday morning.
There's no end in sight for this unforgiving winter.
The Set-up
Another re-energized trough (deep atmospheric valley), which has been basically locked in since right after the New Year.
The now infamous polar vortex, an intense cyclonic storm located normally in the frozen tundra of Canada, is once again pivoting southward allowing for super cold air to be unleashed across a good portion of our nation.
As you read this, the leading edge of this arctic intrusion is working its way right through the city as polar winds sting the face, eyes tear and "Do the Hustle" returns to the city's streets.
Temperatures will briefly get above freezing today, before the polar winds blow and temperatures drop. Flurries or brief snow showers possible with the arrival of the front, especially north and west of the city.
The core of the cold dome will be over us early Friday morning, with readings in town dropping to 8 degrees and readings in some of our suburbs dropping below zero. Wind chill factors will be brutal, averaging 10-20 below.
Despite plenty of sunshine, high temperatures on Friday will hover 20 degrees below normal. I'm forecasting a high temperature of 20-25 degrees.
The good news is the first weekend of March will be mostly dry, but cold.
The Lion Roars
By Sunday night, and right through Monday (yes, another potential miserable Monday morning commute) a series of storm systems will ride the polar front straight out of the Gulf of Mexico.
With plenty of moisture heading northeast, and still some very cold air in place, at least some snow looks to arrive by Sunday night.
Conflicting computer guidance suggests anything from several inches of snow, snow to ice, snow to ice and rain, or snow to ice then to rain and ending as snow. Needless to say, the confidence I have at this stage is about the same I have that the Phillies will be in the World Series ... very little.
The only thing I can say right now is that the March lion is no pussycat.
John Bolaris