Extreme Cold This Year, Extreme Warmth Last Year. What's Going On?

 Here is a graphic for you.








2012 vs 2013 Week of March 18-22 High Temperatures.
Red denotes 2012, blue 2013.

Talk about a huge difference!

This week in 2012 was a very warm one, as was the whole spring.  A few days this week temperatures topped 80° in many locations across the county. 

As for 2013, the exact opposite!  Temperatures have been very cold and have been unable to reach 40°. 

Why the difference?  A blocking pattern was relevant in both years around this time. However, the blocking pattern in 2012 was off the east coast, allowing for warm air to funnel from the south and storm systems to move well to our north.

This year, the blocking pattern is farther north into Greenland and extreme northern Canada.  This tends to stall storm systems out in the northeastern US and eastern Canada and pulls cold air down into the eastern US. 

As soon as the blocking pattern this year breaks down, we'll be on our way to spring.  However, this doesn't appear to happen until a week or so into April.

Messy Monday, Snowy & Cold Week Ahead

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Warning Message:The National Weather Service in Cleveland has issued a Winter
Weather Advisory for mixed precipitation which is in effect from
8 am to 2 PM EDT Monday for CRAWFORD COUNTY.

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The first day of spring is this Wednesday but you wouldn't know that by looking at the forecast.  A large disturbance will move through tomorrow morning bringing a wintry mix across the region.  Periods of freezing rain, snow/sleet, and rain are all likely tomorrow. Ice accumulation is a concern as well as a trace to an inch of snow.  Temperatures will be in the low to mid 30s and gusty winds will make it feel like the middle of winter.  Monday is definitely the worst day of the week but this system is not expected to make it very far north and east before it stalls out.  A northwesterly flow will develop and persist all the way into the weekend.  Cold air will filter in and over the lake allowing for lake effect clouds and snow showers to develop.  Accumulations are likely through Friday with the snowbelt getting the most.  A couple inches to a half a foot are possible by the time the weekend approaches. So for the next week, clouds, cold, and a mix of precipitation to snow is the storyline.  No spring like weather is in sight.  That darn groundhog.

Monday afternoon model forecast. 
Blue = snow, green = rain, orange = sleet, pink = freezing rain

Monday's Maximum Temperatures