Spring 2022 NH / Fall 2022 SH Discussion Thread

Low was 1.5 (-16.9 c) this morning, most definitely the coldest temp until November or December.

In the past 30 years, only March 2002 and 2019 got this cold so a quite unusual event.

Heat Rises Over Western Parts Of Western Australia
( source: Weatherzone )



A trough over western WA is drawing a hot airmass from the interior into parts of the northwest. Temperatures will increase over the next several days, as this hot airmass lingers and intensifies. A low-to-severe intensity heatwave is forecast for the Pilbara region.

Wednesday 16th should be the hottest day this week, with temperatures peaking at 44-46 degrees around Pannawonica in western Pilbara. This increase in heat combined with the already dry conditions could increase fire danger risks over the region.


Figure 1: 2m max temp Wed 16th using ECMWF Sat 12Z

Heat will linger over the region well into next week, before a cooler airmass helps push the intense heat further inland next weekend.

There is a vigorous cold front approaching Western Asia, bringing snowfall in Northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey (my ancestral homeland), particularly in the elevated areas. The cold front is also providing rainfall in Beirut and the surrounds on the west coast.



Meanwhile, Urmia and Salmas in Iranian Azerbaijan (around Lake Urmia), which are on the downwind side of the Zagros, have clear conditions because they sit on the Zagros's rain shadow (this is a common pattern in the region, hence why these cities have relatively dry winters compared to those in Iraqi Kurdistan like Batifa, Duhok and Zakho, among other cities, which are entirely windward/exposed in the winter to westerly fronts):

Start of spring has been quite normal so far. Today is the warmest day so far, the airport has registered first 10C:



Satellite pictures shows mostly clear sky over Latvia, just some low clouds at the Baltic coast. Western and central Latvia is snow-free, still snow in the East:

Yesterday's low and high temps. 20's down to the Texas Gulf coast below Houston. 

Impressive to get a healthy freeze all the down to the gulf in mid March.

High was 62 (17 c) today. Had some dark, summery-looking clouds come in in the afternoon. First time seeing such clouds this year, no precipitation though.

Ålesund in western Norway has even managed to fulfill the Swedish criterion for summer, with five days in a row with mean temps above 10'C 

Wind gust of 82 MPH reported at High Point, NJ this weekend which is the highest since they started recording there in 2008, even higher than during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. I've been up there many times and the wind is awesome to experience. 

www.nj.com/weather/2022/03/nj-weather-hurricane-force-wind-of-82-mph-reported-in-sussex-county-during-fierce-winter-storm.html