Another Freeze Next Two Days, Big Warm Up next Week...

Looking at the record lows into march & April, we only have about 4 weeks to worry about hard freezes IF you live south of Lake P.  Once beyond Feb. 20th, historically, it's rare to dip below 28 except north and west of Lake P.  The higher sun angle & longer days begin to result in warmer temps.   That is not the case on this January 19th as Hard Freeze Warnings are up North Shore & Freeze Warnings south. Don't start running water yet as current temps are well above freezing.

NWS is calling for 28-32 for the South Shore, but remember the last freeze?  The coldest night was the first night when winds were strongest negating any lake effect.  That might happen in the morning IF the winds stay up, which I think they will.

I'll check the temperature with Bruce at 10 PM to see if it's approaching 28 degrees.  North Shore & Mississippi Coast need to take full precautions.  Sunday morning will also have a freeze threat before a huge upper pattern shift signals a January thaw for the country next week.   The shift begins on the West Coast as a strong storm kicks the Polar Vortex away bringing a trough to the Rockies and SW upper winds for the Gulf South.  Here's the current set up.  The top view is the storm off California.

The next satellite views show how the Polar Vortex is retreating back to Greenland allowing Pacific origin air to flow over the U.S.  It's still plenty cold, but almost everyone is above zero.  Note now how the upper pattern evolves next week.

As we warm up next week and the frontal boundary stalls in the upper SW flow, there is the potential for heavy rainfall all along the northern Gulf coast.  We'll need to pay attention next week.

So even though we'll see all day sunshine tomorrow, highs will struggle to get above the mid to upper  40s. But look at next week...70s!!!

Finally, I had lunch today with an old friend Glynn Boyd, husband of the late, great Nancy Parker-Boyd.  He's doing quite well raising their 3 children, who are not kids anymore. Perhaps you've seen Parker Boyd on FOX 8? He's a young reporter following in his parent's footsteps.

You can also find him with his Dad at some Pelicans games.  The Pels are home tonight to a sold out Smoothie King Center. Don't have tickets?  No problem as Ch. 8 is the "special man" broadcasting the game beginning at 7 PM.  Pregame starts at 6:30.  Go Pels!  Stay tuned!