The Arctic Cold Is Coming...

I was out in my backyard just looking at how nice it looks with my variegated ginger soaring over 7 feet high along with many flowers still in bloom.  It pains me to know I will have to cut back my hibiscus plants from 7 feet back to 3'.  But there is good news for me because I bought a house with a large  "He-Shed" in the backyard.

I won't start moving my potted plants into the shed until Thursday, but it's nice to know I have a place that will keep them alive.  Plus we bought a large heater for outside functions on our patio that can double as a shed heater.

Nothing has changed in terms of computer guidance with a deep upper low/trough predicted to dive over us by Friday.

The energy with this trough is expected to close off on Christmas Eve and that should result in a Nor'Easter for the eastern states.  Holiday travel could be severely impacted.

So what have I started doing?  Placing faucet covers over all my outside water lines and making sure the main line (bottom view) is wrapped with insulation tape or foam.   As we get closer to the freeze, I'll show you more of what I'm doing.

The reason we have concerns for this coming freeze is how cold (40-50 below zero) it is up in Alaska & northern Canada. With the eastern trough deepening, all that Arctic cold will plunge down to the Gulf Coast.  Here's what our local NWS office is predicting for morning lows.

This will not be record cold, but we really haven't seen temps this low in several years.

The current upper flow is not allowing the bitter cold (below zero) from coming towards us just yet.  There is a fast moving disturbance over the SW that will spread clouds and rain over us late Monday into Tuesday.

Models are hinting 1-2" rain totals are possible, but we are not expecting any severe storms.

Our best days all week might be on Wednesday into Thursday where highs should approach 60 degrees.

All in all, the focus this week will be on the cold PREPARATIONS.   Don't wait until the Arctic Blast arrives as it will be VERY uncomfortable to be outside, even if you're all bundled up.

Could we see some flakes on Friday morning before all the moisture is swept away?  Perhaps,  What I'll be looking for is a Gulf Low to develop that spreads moisture back over us after we're deep into the cold air.  No sign of that...YET!  Don't stop dreaming!  Stay tuned!