Friday, December 23, 2011

What a Difference 22 Years Makes! Freak Snow to Liquid Snow!


Friday, December 23, 2011

Do you remember where you were 22 years ago today? It is the anniversary of the freak snow/ice storm that shut down all our bridges in Jacksonville for 3 days. You could only cross the mighty St. Johns by foot.  It was the White Christmas of 1989 but some folks said it was not a dream come true and had to wait until up to a week after Christmas to open all their presents since many were stranded for days! But most folks loved it and it did not matter if you were 4 years old or 80....many folks went out and played in a snowfall which for many was the first and biggest snow they had ever seen.


This year 1989 could not be further from our minds! The weather is like from another planet! We are stranded in what feels like a tropical paradise. St. Augustine hit 82 degrees along with most of the area south of the Airport! To do this on back to back days this time of year is rare! We have been in a mid-April weather pattern and many areas around the country will have their brownest Christmas since the late 1990s. 2011 will go down as the year of extreme weather and it might as well go out with a bang!


Here at home we are talking liquid snow in the forecast or rain! But it should not keep you from enjoying the Holly Jolly Trolley in St. Augustine or from catching up on shopping! Tonight we will just have a few splash and dash showers. They will only last a few minutes and then move on! Bizarre! This is a Spring pattern. There is a cold front moving through but it is not living up to its name and has very little moisture to work with. Temperatures behind it are still above average for this time of year. Notice Atlanta this evening is still a good 5 to 8 degrees above average. But this sorry excuse for a front will cool us down and bring our temperatures back down to earth and at least make it feel more like Christmas Weekend. Expect highs closer to 70.

The big question is what about the rain. Well we know it is a very weak front but it is turning our wind off the cooler ocean. This is the time of year where nor'easter can develop in a hurry and turn a decent forecast into a disaster. While I do not see that happening this weekend, I do see at least a few coastal showers moving back in by Christmas Day but amounts should once again be light and you can still get outside and the kids can still get outside and try out their new scooters or bikes.

I will make sure to check in with you over Christmas weekend and post updates that is for sure. But suffice it to say I see good flying weather for Comet and Dasher and a much bigger rain event will hold off until Tuesday of next week! Stay tuned and go do something holiday-ish. I am going outside to build a snowman after receiving an early Christmas present. Details on the way! God bless!

No comments: