2/29/12

HAPPY LEAP YEAR EVERYBODY!!! 

We were gifted by waking up with a bunch of snow! A winter weather advisory remains in effect until this evening at 6p.m.  Currently the measurements of snow in Eau Claire are upwards of 5.5 inches!  Remember that yesterday's conditions left about 1-2 inches of sleet/rain which has accumulated beneath the snow and has most likely frozen to ice.  Drivers this morning should be careful because the roads are slick, look out for hydroplaning!  


Temp: 33 
Pressure: 29.28
Winds: East at 23 mph 
Cloud Coverage: 100% 

This map shows the low pressure passing over the upper midwest

Eau Claire is right on the belt line of this storm-
expect mixed precipitation

Today expect to have very wintery conditions.   The storm is still passing over us and so as it warms up in the day, snow is going to turn to rain and as it starts to cool later this afternoon the rain will turn to ice and then to snow.  Expect temperatures to reach up to 38 degrees today.  We should remain under cloud cover for most of the day as the low passes over us.  Precipitation will continue throughout the day, expect around 1 inch of rain and another inch or two of snow.  Look for the winds to switch from the east to the southwest as the low pressure system moves out of the area. 


snow ->sleet -> rain -> sleet -> snow

winter storm!

Winter Storm Warning!

Have no fear! the Eau Claire weather blogs are here! 

Waking up this morning, you may not have noticed anything particularily out of the ordinary.  The skies were covered in clouds and it looked like the typical grey winter weather scene you would expect.  But- if you were to take a look at the weather forecasts and pay close attention to the wind directions, you could tell that there was something brewing in the atmosphere and heading straight towards the upper midwest!  

this post will be revamped tomorrow... but these are some vague notes:

this morning: cloudy
snow started falling at around 1:30
heavy snowfall around 3:00
turned into mix of rain/sleet at 5:00
turned back into snow around 7:45

2/27/12

Currently it feels like it is 27 degrees outside.  This morning was cloudy with significant winds coming from the west at around 20 mph.  Currently the winds seemed to have shifted slightly and are coming from the west northwest.  The national weather service has issued a winter storm warning for Eau Claire until 6 p.m. on Wednesday.  It looks like we will be in a high pressure system until tomorrow when the low pressure system in the west will reach the midwest.

2/26/12

Today started out with clear skies and a strong wind coming from west southwest at 22 mph!  Later in the afternoon stratus clouds moved in and the wind continued to have gusts around 20 mph.  The weather is associated with the low front passing through, and Wisconisn and Minnesota happy to be in the center of that low. Currently it is 32 degrees.  Tonight expect temperatures to drop into the high teens with a possibility of some snow flurries throughout the night.

2/25/12

Today was a pretty chilly day!  Temperatures were around average for this time of year, but it was a surprise to have the weather resemble an actual winter day! The skies were clear throughout the day and the winds were quite calm.  Currently we are under a high pressure system, but expect to see some clouds move in late tonight as the low from the west moves our way, bringing a chance for precipitation.

Temperature: 25F
Wind: 19mph NNW
Dew Point: 13F
Pressure: 30.14"

2/24/12

few snow flurries during the day, 100% cloud coverage. winds were at 14 miles from the northwest, mainly associated with the polar contintental.  high was 32 low is 14

2/23/12

Today in Eau Claire it was a fairly windy day.  We didn't see any precipitation, although there was cumulous nimbus cloud coverage most of the day. 

Currently it is 32 degrees outside.  Expect temperatures to drop through the night to the low twenties.  The winds are out of the north at around 7mph.  

Although we saw mild conditions, the rest of the midwest, including the southern portion of Wisconsin was hit by percipitation within the low pressure system.  The map below shows the amount of percipitation each area of the United States saw tonight.  Some areas, specifically eastern Iowa and   western Illinois.

 

2/22/12

Today we woke up with bountiful sunshine overhead!  The current conditions are as follows:
Temp: 34
Winds: 10 mph from west
High: 36
Dewpoint: 22
Humidity: 64%

Currently we are under a high pressure system which is the reason for the clear skies!  Expect some clouds to move in later this afternoon as the high pressure system moves out.  The winds are coming in from the west and therefore tomorrow we should be seeing cloudy skies because a low pressure system will makes its way in bringing the likelihood of some slight snow showers in the afternoon.

2/20/12

This morning there was no cloud coverage at sunrise and we should expect the skies to stay that way for part of the afternoon.  Winds are out of the southeast at around 6mph and we are continuing to see temperatures well above average for this time of year!  Currently at 9:30 it feels like 23 degrees.  The high is projected to be in the mid to upper 30's!  This mild weather we are experiencing right now can be associated with the high pressure system we are in, but later this afternoon expect to see some clouds start to form because a low pressure system is moving in and will likely bring some stronger winds along with some slight percipitation later this evening.   Tomorrow we can expect a cloudy, windy day as the low pressure system makes its way through.

In case you missed this past weeks SNL, here is a clip.  I'd suggest watching it till the end for all you Eau Claire folk :)

2/19/12

2/18/12

Today has sure made this Saturday something worth smiling about! The temperature is currently 31 degrees outside and is expected to climb up to about 35 by mid afternoon. The sun is shining and there is no cloud in sight! The skies should be clear all throughout the day and into tomorrow as the high pressure system is making its way through the area. Winds are coming from the west at 5 mph. The barometric pressure is reading 30.27 which is hovering just around average. Dewpoint is set at 15 degrees. Tonight's clear skies is going to allow heat to escape back into the atmosphere, therefore expect temperatures to drop into the mid teens!

As the satellite picture shows in the map above, the wintery weather is going to be hitting the mid-atlantic sometime this afternoon!  Looks like this winter all that white stuff is bipassing us and dumping itself east!  So look out east coast- this winter storm is coming to say "hello"!

2/17/12

Happy Friday!! I woke up this morning to hear the roars of snowblowers and the scraping of shovels. Normally, I'd just shake it off but this morning I was incredibly frustrated! Particullarily because this (aprx.) inch of snow covering the ground was not going to stay there all day. Had these people taken a look at the weather yesterday, they would have realized that we are expected to reach a high of 38 degrees! Wowza! Currently it is 34 degrees with almost 100% cloud coverage of low laying stratus clouds. Winds are coming from the southwest at about 9mph.  As the high pressure system moves in we can expect to see possibly flurries through today.  Tomorrow's temperatures should stay around 32 degrees untill the low pressure system brings in the cold front that is currently out near British Colombia and Washington.

2.16.12

2.15.12

2/14/12

First and foremost, Happy Valentines Day! All this love in the air must have had something to do with our high today of 35 degrees! (Or maybe it had to do with the 8mph winds coming from the southwest ;) )  The skies were mostly cloudy throughout the day and into the night creating a blanket trapping in the warm air.  Insulation!  

For all you heartbroken people out there, you'll have something to smile about because the nice weather is suppose to continue throughout the week. Tomorrow's high is projected to be in the mid to upper 30's with a chance of possible flurries in the afternoon.

2/13/12

And the grammy goes to....

BON IVER!!!!

before we get into the weather, a congratulations is in order for Eau Claire native Justin Vernon and his band who won the Grammy for best new artist!!  The name Bon Iver is french for "beautiful winter"... something that Eau Claire has seemed to somewhat miss out on this year... until today!

We had our first snowfall in awhile!  Thanks to the moisture in the air, alto stratus clouds were present throughout the day and allowed for conditions to be just right for the perfect snowfall.  The high today was 28 degrees and the winds were coming out of the southwest at around 5 to 10 mph.  The snowfall lasted from about 4-6 p.m. and accumulated just under an inch of snow.  There radar shows a few snow showers to come later in the night, but it should clear up by tomorrow.

The southern wind will continue to bring warm temperatures throughout the week.  Expect highs in the mid thirties tomorrow with partly cloudy skies.

http://youtu.be/0KrmxavLIRM?hd=1

2/12/12

A low pressure system is coming in from the west bringing with it the possibility of snow showers.  Today the high was 28 degrees with clear skies.  Tonight's low should drop down to about 6 degrees.  The wind is calm and the stars are out!

Elsewhere in the nation, snow and ice will be covering the southern part of the country.  States wrapped up in the this high pressure belt include Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas.

2/11/12

Sunny skies for the surrounding Eau Claire area for the entire day today!  The crisp winter winds were blowing at around 8 MPH from the WNW.  The high for today was 19 degrees, although the wind made it feel much chillier!  Tonight expect temperatures to drop back down to single digits, hovering around zero for the rest of the evening.  Tomorrow expect low temperatures and clear skies again!

2/10/12

Brrr! It was a really chilly day outside today.  High were in the high teens, lows tonight will be near zero.  The continental polar air mass from Canada is continuing to move in and will affect weather throughout the weekend.  Slight snowfall this morning but no accumulation.  Expect no more percipitation for tonight but looks like possible snow flurries Saturday afternoon when the westerly winds bring in the high pressure system from the west.

2/9/12

This morning we had clear skies and temperatures were around 18 degrees.  The high today was 33 degrees... better savor it while it last because we are getting hit with a high pressure system throughout the weekend that will bring about frigid temperatures!  Temperatures are expected to be in the teens throughout the weekend dropping into the negatives at night. The clear skies are helping the warm air escape faster making for some chilly nights.  The winds are coming in from the NW at 22 mph, bringing in the continental polar air mass with it.  Bundle up if you are planning on being outside!!

Links Page/Post

http://weather.unisys.com/index.php

I like Unisys general weather map because it is simple and easy to read.  It shows where the high pressure systems are located as well as the low pressure systems.  It also gives the viewer an idea of what is going on throughout the country by adding in some satelite data showing cloud coverage.

http://weather.unisys.com/surface/sfc_map.php?inv=0&t=cur&region=us&expanddiv=hide_bar

This next map is also from Unisys, although this map shows much greater detail because it is a surface map.  Of all the maps I think this one is my favorite if I want to have the most descriptive map.  At times it can get confusing to read, but if you take it section by section, interpretting the data is not as overwhelming.  On this map you can see the high and low pressure systems as well as temperature, barometric pressure readings, wind movement, cloud coverage, and percipitation.

http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/national/satellite-ir

This map is a satelite image of the United States from Accuweather.  I like this map a lot because it is easy to tell where the fronts are concentrated on the map by the clouds in each area.  I also like this view because it can show a pattern in the weather and therefore can be used to do a quick forecast for a few days.

http://graphical.weather.gov/sectors/conus.php?element=T

This map is from weather.gov and is the typical map that you would see in your Sunday paper.  I like it because it gives a quick overlay of what the temperature looks like throughout the entire United States.  If you know the typical patterns of air masses, you can not only look at the current temperature of your region, but you can look at temperatures that could be expected.

12/8/12

Wake up and smell the... SUNSHINE! Today we have clear skies present throughout Eau Claire without a cloud in sight!  Currently the temperature is 24 degrees, although it feels like 16 due to the 10 mph winds coming from the WSW.

           

The continental polar is coming in from Canada and making its way though the northern states.  No precipitation is likely for the next 24 hours.   

2/7/12

Brrrr! What a chilly day it is here in Eau Claire!  The high today reached to 25 degrees, which happens to be just around average for this time of year.  Fortunately, we have been experiencing a very mild winter this year so although one day at 25 degrees may seem cold it is only what we should expect for February in Wisconsin.  The cold temperatures are related with the high pressure front coming out of Canada, also known as the polar continental. We were experiencing winds out of the ENE between 7 and 22 mph. Stratus clouds covered the sky for most of the day.

2/6/12

Today Eau Claire hit a high of 40 degrees!  The wind was out of the west at about 14 mph and it definitely felt like spring!  Clear conditions were present throughout the day and it looks like there will be little to no percipitation expected.   

Currently it is 26 degrees outside with mild wind.  It is a perfect night to look at the sky, especially since we are nearing a full moon! 

Tomorrow looks like it is going to be partly sunny and a little bit cooler because of the high pressure system coming from the north. Expect temperatures to be in the low to mid 20's.

2/5/12

We have beautiful weather for Super Bowl Sunday!  Today's high is 37 degrees.  Partly cloudy conditions with a 10 mph wind coming from the west.  Tonight should drop down into the lower 20's with mostly clear conditions bringing in another partly cloudy day for tomorrow. 

                                      

2/4/12

Today eau Claire had mostly sunny skies with a high of 40. Tomorrow looks like a low front is going to move in bringing partly cloudy conditions.

2/3/12

Currently the skies are mostly cloudy covered with stratus clouds.  The current temperature is 31 degrees.  This afternoon it looks like the clouds are going to start to break up letting some sunshine through while we'll warm up to a high of 37 degrees, still well above normal for this time of year. A low pressure system to the south will be moving a warm front through for the rest of the week.

2/2/12

Currently, Eau Claire has nearly 100% cloud coverage.  It looks like the typical winter day besides the lack of snow on the ground.  Temperatures are quite high for this time of year, currently 33 degrees.  Winds are quite calm coming from the NW at 4mph.  Tomorrow should be colder with similar cloud coverage.

Weather 2/1/12

Today stratus clouds are dominating the skies with almost 100% cloud coverage.  The temperature will range between 33 and 36 degrees all afternoon falling later into the night with a low of 25.  Winds are coming from the south at about 10 mph.  Later in the evening the clouds should break apart leaving a slight chance of snow flurries later in the evening.  Tomorrow temperatures will be similar to today's, you can look for mostly cloudy skies again with a slight wind coming from the south/southwest.