Chilly weather could set odd record
After barely touching 50 degrees yesterday, the thermometer out at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport could be headed for a strange new record as we slosh through the weekend.
Steve Zubrick, the science and operations officer out at the NWS Sterling forecast office, says it looks like the mercury at BWI won't escape the 40s again until Monday, when the sun finally comes out. The forecast highs currently are 48, 44, 45 and 46 degrees respectively, Thursday through Sunday.
If that happens, it will be the first time since official record-keeping began in Baltimore in 1871 that we've gone four straight days in October without hitting 50 degrees.
"Three times there have been three days in a row of less than 50 degrees F," Zubrick said, "all at the end of the month, starting on Oct. 29." Those events occurred in 1893, 1925 and 2002. "But never four in a row."
And here we are, barely halfway through October, and we're already threatening four straight days under 50 degrees.
Zubrick also doubts that I will be able to keep my hands off the thermostat until Nov. 1, was my plan. He's already switched his furnace on at least once this month. But I have held out. So far. My wife doesn't seem to be as committed to this goal as I am. We'll see how we do this weekend.
Anyway, we can blame a series of storm systems, some coming out of the Ohio Valley, and others developing along the coast, that are pumping cool, wet Atlantic air off the ocean. It seems like mostly drizzle for now, but forecasters at Sterling say we could see as much as a half-inch this afternoon, and another half inch tonight.
These storms will also be dragging cold air in with snow showers or freezing rain in the mountains. Snow is forecast tonight for parts of northern and western Pennsylvania, and as far south as Garrett County, Md.
The folks at Sterling expect that will make each night through early Sunday colder than the last, sinking into the 30s and increasing the chances for a wintry mix spreading beyond the higher elevations.
For late Saturday and early Sunday, they say, "the rain/snow mix could even creep into the far northwest Baltimore/Washington suburbs."
Comments
the fireplace, which is the heat source in our house, was started for the first time last night. Really makes a difference in the Sparks area. Bring on the blizzards!
Posted by: Patty | October 15, 2009 1:16 PM
Where's Al Gore when you need him? Hopefully he's out on his Leer jet or yacht burning some fossils fuels to heat up the atmosphere. Oh, that's right, he bought some carbon offsets so his carbon footprint is actually half of mine. After such an AWFUL hurricane season I'm EXTREMELY worried about a major sea ice rise. Don't worry Al will save us all.
Posted by: Brett James | October 16, 2009 12:30 AM
We've been using our fireplace woodstove insert since Monday afternoon/evening. Toasty warm.
Posted by: AVC | October 16, 2009 12:46 AM
Thanks for the man-made-climate-change-is-a-myth-because-it’s-cold-out argument, Brett. Also in the news: The Earth is flooding because it’s raining out, and the sun has somehow been destroyed because look how dark it is.
Kudos for also avoiding the knee-jerk urge to point out that Al Gore exhales carbon dioxide.
Posted by: Paul_D | October 16, 2009 12:34 PM
We're still holding out on the furnace, but we have a DeLonghi radiator in the living room that I've switched on a couple of times in the evening. Last night we slept with the window closed for the first time in ages. I'm still trying to avoid cranking up the furnace until Nov. 1.
FR: I am weak...
Posted by: Barb | October 16, 2009 5:40 PM
Cleaned the chimney yesterday, started the wood stove this am. Here's whats interesting- this is the fourth consecutive season change where I've had the woodstove going while there are leaves on the trees; normally the leaves are gone by the time I light it or I don't need it after the leaves are out in spring. I notice this as I live in the woods and it's weird to see the smoke rise against the leaves.
Posted by: Charlie from Denton | October 16, 2009 7:21 PM
Its snowing like crazy here right now! Really big snow flakes too!
FR: Where's "here"?
Posted by: Dorothy Burke | October 18, 2009 3:47 AM
It's snowing in Shrewsbury, PA - not that far from Baltimore. It's not deep, but there's a blanket on the ground.
Posted by: K | October 18, 2009 6:18 AM
I finally capitulated on turning on the heat on Friday night. Just for a few hours to take the chill out of the house. I try and hold out until the first of November, but when it was so cold and damp, I just caved. I am such a sissy!
Posted by: pigtown | October 19, 2009 10:44 AM