January Thaw On the Horizon

2015-01-12 16:31:22.000 – Tom Padham, Weather Observer/Meteorologist

After a very cold week across New Hampshire, temperatures are looking to return to closer to average by the upcoming weekend, with one more quick blast of arctic air Tuesday and Wednesday. Snow showers will persist in the mountains this evening, with most of the northern resorts seeing daily snow totals around 2-4 inches and southern areas seeing 1-3 inches. Be sure to bundle up and cover any exposed skin if doing any recreational activities in the Whites Tuesday especially, as breezy northwest winds will create wind chills well below zero all day. Temperatures will begin to slowly warm up but remain below freezing right into the weekend, with the snow pack remaining in place. By the weekend a major pattern change will be underway across the eastern U.S, with temperatures rising to near or above freezing and staying slightly above average into next week.

We’ve certainly seen winter at its worst up here so far this new year on the summit of Mount Washington. So far this month winds are averaging 58 mph, with a peak gust of 129 mph occurring on the 5^th. Our current monthly average temperature is also running nearly 10 degrees below average, with low temperatures of 33 and 34 below occurring on the 7^th and 8^th. After such a frigid and windy week up here on the summit of Mount Washington, many of us currently working up here are looking forward to the relatively balmy teens and 20s we’ll be seeing in the valley below, and I for one can’t wait to spend a few great winter days on the slopes!

Tom Padham, Weather Observer/Meteorologist