Finally A Pattern Change, Get Ready For The Cooldown

Here we are in late October flirting with 90 degrees, but that's about to end as a huge storm off the West Coast will knock down the SE upper ridge and redevelop an East Coast trough.  That will result in much colder air coming here during the next 2-3 weeks.  Get those jackets and sweaters ready!

I've drawn the upper pattern on the satellite view in the top picture with the next view being today 500 mb graphic.  Note the huge low off the West coast with a mainly west to east flow over the southern states.  Look how that changes this week.

The top graphic is valid for this Thursday, the next valid for Saturday with the bottom valid for the following week.  those huge dips over the east will bring the Canadian cold into the lower 48.

Our highs will stay in the 60s for late this week & a strong northerly wind will make it feel even colder.   It will warm some for Halloween making for perfect evening weather for the kids.

As we head towards Winter, cloudiness increases across the U.S. and you can see the difference sunshine makes on the temperatures.  The rainy season has kicked in for the western states and that is bringing the usual mudslide issues.

A weak upper air disturbance triggered our clouds & showers today, but that will move away for tomorrow.  We still have 3 warm days before cooling relief arrives on Thursday.

Finally, NHC says low pressure moving off the East coast later this week could develop some tropical characteristics.   Right now, the only storm is hurricane rick making landfall in Mexico.  Our season ended several weeks ago and the coming cold fronts will rapidly cool down the warm Gulf waters.  I've gotta go look for my cold weather gear.  Stay tuned!