Category: Posts EN

Snow is the last thing on many minds nearly a week after the summer solstice, however, a rare summertime snowfall is expected to blanket parts of Newfoundland in white into Tuesday.

A cold rain Monday night and Tuesday will mix with and change to a wet, pasty snow at times across central Newfoundland.

Snow accumulation will be highly dependent on where the heavier precipitation rates setup. In areas of heavier precipitation, snow will be the favored precipitation type. Snow accumulations away from the coast could total 10-20 cm.

In areas where more than 5 cm of snow accumulates, downed trees and power lines are possible due to the weight of the snow. Most of the snow accumulation will take place on grassy, non-paved surfaces, however, slushy and snow covered roads are possible at times in heavier bursts of precipitation.

Current data suggests that Newfoundland’s 7th largest city, Gander, could see measurable snow in June for the first time since 2007 when 1.2 cm accumulated. As a reference point, Gander is at a similar latitude and elevation to Paris, France, and Vienna, Austria.

Below are the top 5 snowiest June days on record in Gander. Records date back to 1937.

While June snow in Newfoundland is not unprecedented, it is much more likely to happen during the first half of the month than the latter half.

If measurable snow is observed in Gander, it will mark the 3rd latest snowfall on record.

 

The Midwest has been baking through much of June, and the West has joined in over the past week with extensive heat advisories and warnings. Meanwhile, the Northeast has enjoyed very comfortable temperatures for early summer. The pattern looks to change later this week, however.

 

 

The graphic above show the departure from normal of average temperatures across the country for June, with select cities in the table at left. Much of middle portion of the country from the Rockies through the Plains to the Midwest is near or above plus five deg F. Temperatures have been near normal in the Northeast. However, the ridge responsible for the Midwest heat is expected to expand east.

The forecast graph below for Burlington, Vermont shows a steady climb late this week into early next week. This is a good representative forecast for many locations in the Northeast. Temperatures will be well into the 80s, approaching 90 degrees, for most locations, even the big coastal cities.

 

 

The last forecast map below shows expected temperature trends across the nation in the 6-10 day time frame (this weekend into early next week). Near to below normal temperatures now confined to the Pacific Northwest will expand into the Rockies. The eastern two-thirds are very likely to see above normal temperatures, in some areas far above normal. The Plains will be in the transition zone, potentially seeing a temperature roller coaster. Lead photo courtesy Air Force Staff Sgt. Josie Walck.

 

 

 

Rounds of severe thunderstorms will continue across the Plains this weekend. Damaging wind and hail along with flash flooding is likely, and by late Sunday afternoon a few tornadoes could be embedded in the strongest storms.

Saturday

A cluster of severe thunderstorms erupted across the High Plains of Colorado Saturday afternoon. These storms tracked southeast into Kansas causing scattered reports of large hail and wind damage.

Golf ball to hen egg-sized hail was common from the storms across eastern Colorado. One of the severe thunderstorms was photographed by a twitter user located to the northwest of Lamar, Colorado.

Storm northwest of Lamar, CO at 6:45 PM #cowx pic.twitter.com/8nm1LSv0rZ

— Walker Ashley (@WalkerSAshley) June 24, 2018

Sunday

A stronger disturbance will move into the Plains on Sunday sparking a greater risk for severe thunderstorm development.

A cold front moving southeastward will ram into a warm and moist flow from the Gulf of Mexico triggering some explosive thunderstorms to develop across western Kansas in the late afternoon hours. Initially, the environment will favor some rotation with the lead storms leading to the potential for a few tornadic cells.

The storms will track eastward and bring a damaging wind, hail, and flashing flooding threat to the central Plains. The heaviest storms have the potential to bring 2-5 inches of rain in just a few hours of time.

The disturbance responsible for the severe weather will be slow to move out early next week, consequently, the risk for severe weather will linger across portions of the Plains into Monday.