An annoying weather pattern

[bthompson1234]

I've been watching the weather over the past few years and have noticed a persistent pattern. A huge dome of high pressure anchors itself over the Western U.S., causing above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation there, and causing the jet stream to dive down over the Midwest and Eastern U.S., causing rainy, cool, often below normal temperatures here. If you look at the Climactic Prediction Center forecast page, you see the pattern. Above normal temperatures in the Western 3rd of the country, Alaska and southern Florida. Below normal temperatures in the Midwest and East. We also had a pattern very similar to this in 2000 - 2004. Is there a known cause for this pattern? Is it a known pattern, or is it just me noticing it? I love summer weather and am wondering when we'll heat and sun back in the East.

 

[rolltide_130]

I've been watching the weather over the past few years and have noticed a persistent pattern. A huge dome of high pressure anchors itself over the Western U.S., causing above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation there, and causing the jet stream to dive down over the Midwest and Eastern U.S., causing rainy, cool, often below normal temperatures here. If you look at the Climactic Prediction Center forecast page, you see the pattern. Above normal temperatures in the Western 3rd of the country, Alaska and southern Florida. Below normal temperatures in the Midwest and East. We also had a pattern very similar to this in 2000 - 2004. Is there a known cause for this pattern? Is it a known pattern, or is it just me noticing it? I love summer weather and am wondering when we'll heat and sun back in the East.

Probably next summer since we began meteorological fall September 1st and the equinox is happening this weekend..

I'm not trying to be sarcastic and rude, but it IS late September so we are beginning to enter meteorological fall with the pattern flip coming in about a week right around the time it should be.

This summer we had a big ridge over the central and eastern US that really brought the heat and we pushed record highs in places.

The pattern you're talking about is really only an issue during the winter and spring when it can lead to blisteringly cold and snowy winters E of I-35 and droughts out west. It doesnt have a major impact during the summer and fall. We may get another warmup to high 80s or 90s in mid-October because that's normal for us (called an Indian Summer), but the bulk of summer is gone now because it's simply not meteorological summer anymore and it wont be for another 9 months.

 

[pritchlaw]

Seems like the opposite has happened this year. The never-ending summer here in Central Alabama.

 

[rolltide_130]

Seems like the opposite has happened this year. The never-ending summer here in Central Alabama.

Yeah its starting to overstay its welcome now.. we're having some weird late May pattern with perhaps a Central/Southern plains resurgence in tornado counts over the coming days.. bizarre for October because the cool season is typically limited to E of the Mississippi.

 

[Fred Gossage]

Yeah its starting to overstay its welcome now.. we're having some weird late May pattern with perhaps a Central/Southern plains resurgence in tornado counts over the coming days.. bizarre for October because the cool season is typically limited to E of the Mississippi.

October 4, 1998 and October 9, 2001 say otherwise. There is a definite uptick in severe weather in the Plains during the fall too, but not as big as it is in Dixie Alley. But if it is going to happen, history shows it is usually a month or so before ours, usually centered in October. There are definitely enough significant tornadoes in September/October records in the Plains for it to not be considered bizarre or odd or anything like that. Some of these tornadoes have been pretty substantial.

 

[tennessee storm chaser]

November is a big month for severe weather in the midsouth... during cool season ....