Friday January 5 2018

The temperatures this morning are cold enough, but winds will be gusting over 20 mph making it feel like below zero much of the day. That is why we have a Wind Advisory in place. The source of cold air is plentiful across the northern US and Great Lakes. Add in snowpack, and there is little to modify the arctic air as if flows into our region. The next 48 hours will be the coldest and the afternoons for metro areas will stay in the teens to challenge rare cold afternoon high temperature records.

Perihelion: Here is an ironic stat for you… Two days ago, January 3 was Earth’s closest approach to the sun all year. We were 91.4 million miles away, which is 3 million miles closer than our farther approach or Aphelion on July 6. It is not the distance, but the angle of the sun and length of days that makes the difference for us.

There will be a thaw next week, but an icy mix is likely on Monday before warmer air can build in. See more below.

Wind Chill Advisory

Stats For January 5

Normal High: 42ºF

Record High: 69ºF in 1997

Normal Low: 25ºF

Record Low: 1ºF in 1877

Snow Record: 2.8″ in 2003

Sunrise: 7:26 AM

Sunset 4:58 PM

*Daylight = 54 seconds longer than yesterday

*Bay Water Temperature = 36ºF at Thomas Pt. Light House

Seasonal Snow To Date (at BWI): 5.2″

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Morning Temperatures

Not much spread between +9ºF in York to 12ºF in Ocean City. Strong winds and snow cover have evened the playing field. Temps will not move much today.

High Temperatures- Cold Record Challenge

The coldest afternoon on this date in Baltimore was 18ºF in 1896. So far, the warmest was 14ºF at midnight. We have a chance to break this record today.

Wind Chills

Rather than focus on the coldest, this is the warmest I could find all day

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Temperature Outlook

The Deep Freeze will last all weekend. There will be a thaw next week, but It may have a bump in the road on Monday evening with a chance of ice.

Cold Record High Temps for Baltimore:
January 5 = 18ºF in 1896
January 6 = 16ºF in 1912
January 7 – 16ºF in 2014 *The Polar Vortex

Cold Record Low Temps for Baltimore:
January 5 = 1ºF in 1877
January 6 = 5ºF in 1904
January 7 = 3ºF in 2014 *The Polar Vortex

Ice Monday?

I would say 9 times out of 10 that we thaw our of a similar Deep Freeze, there is a system that moves through with moisture. The frozen ground, icing Bay, and snow pack will hold the cold longer. That means there will be colder air in place when the next system arrives. That is why I would caution for possible ice on Monday (at some point), when that system approaches.

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