Frost Flowers
Our favorite photographer from Gallatin, Mark Fagen, sent in a group of pictures about “frost flowers”. He included an excellent explanation of what you are looking at here. Basically, before the ground freezes and the flowers are still alive when freeze comes along and splits the stem (water expands when it freezes and “bleeds” out of the stem). Since it is below freezing it is ice of course oozing out of the stem.
Another Cold Shot
A cold front will push through later this morning, the leading edge of another cold arctic invasion. This afternoon we’ll only see highs in the mid-40’s, tomorrow afternoon highs will only be in the upper 30’s. Last time we had a high only in the 30’s in Nashville was March 8th! By Saturday morning we’ll have a low deep below 20 degrees- the first morning in the teens since last Valentine’s Day. It’ll be a little warmer this afternoon- a high around 50 on Saturday and in the mid-50’s for Sunday and the Titan’s game.
Breezy Warm Up Today; More Cold Air On The Way
The AVN/GFS model showing another cold high dropping out of Canada. This map is valid noon tomorrow when the fringes are just moving into Middle Tennessee.
A south and southwest wind at 10-20 mph will push afternoon temps into the low 50s today. However, the wind will make it feel like it is still in the 40s.
As you can see above, more cold air begins to push in tomorrow, yielding mid to upper 40s for highs , but dropping to low 20s again tomorrow night (Friday morning). Friday’s highs will only manage the low 40s (a lot like yesterday). The front should come through dry, with only a few clouds late tomorrow.
A Chill Down in November
Do you remember those perfect Fall days back in the first week of November? Nothing but blue skies, afternoon highs in the low 70’s… the Fall color in full bloom. That seems a full season ago. Look how the average highs for the M-F period has trended in the first three weeks (for week three [this week]I’m using the current extended forecast numbers. The normal high this time of year is around 58 (week two). This week we are a good ten degrees below that!
The low this morning at the Nashville airport was 22 degrees, the coldest morning since early March. Its been 35 days since the last 80 degree day- we’ll likely have to wait till next Spring to see an afternoon high in that range again. The last time we had a low at BNA in the teen’s was back in Feb., about 279 mornings ago.
Cold Morning, Warmer Day
We see temperatures in the teen’s across middle Tennessee this morning, the coldest start to the day we’ve had since last winter:
Sunshine teamed up with a south/southwest wind will warm us up into the low to mid-50’s- about ten degrees warmer than yesterday. Another cold front arrives late tonight- some clouds tomorrow morning will keep the lows around freezing but insure a high only in the mid-40’s, low 40’s for a high on Friday. The below normal temperatures are the new normal! High pressure builds in over the midwest heading into Friday- that means a cold, breezy day on Friday as the morning clouds clear:
Hard Freeze Tonight
We have had a few chilly nights so far this season, but as we have been saying, tonight will surpass anything we have seen so far. What does that mean? If there is an exposed pipe, sprinkler system, or anything else prone to break, it needs to be taken care of. Car radiators that do not have enough anti-freeze may be a problem, as well. You might bring in small pets, as they don’t generate as much heat, and are prone to lose their heat easily.
Tomorrow, after the cold start, temps should manage he low 50s by afternoon with a west and southwest wind 10-15 mph, still making it feel pretty cool.
Middle of Winter Feel
We’ll have some sunshine today but highs won’t budge much out of the low 40’s. A high of 42 would make it the coldest day yet this Fall. The typical highs this time of year is 58 degrees- we’ll be about 15 degrees colder than that along with a brisk north wind. We’ll have lows tonight down in the low 20’s, the first hard freeze inside the urban areas for some. Dry weather continues for the rest of the work week and into the weekend.
Coldest Air So Far This Season On The Way
I know that the phrase “coldest air of the season” will be something we can say through January-February, but it still is a good way to explain things in a “relative” way. That being said, the coldest we have been for an overnight low so far has been 29 on October 29th and November 10th. The coldest high temp we have seen so far is 46 on November 11th. We should surpass those readings over the next 48 hours. Here’s our current forecast:
Tonight: Low 28-29. Tomorrow: High 42. Tomorrow night (Wed. morning) 25.
Of course, overnight low temp readings will be 2-5 degrees colder in outlying areas.
One reprieve this week is Wednesday afternoon (after the coldest start) and Thursday when highs may reach the “balmy” low to mid 50s. After that another front brings in colder air starting Friday.Â
In the long range weekend forecast, models are flipping on precip chances. Newest run keeps precip out, but it’s a little unsure if that run is odd man out. We’ll update that as the week progresses.
Cold, Clouds, Wind
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More like a mid-winter day in store for middle Tennesssee today as a cold front swings through this morning bringing in a shot of cold air. The winds from the northwest pick up this afternoon as we’ll likely see a glimpse of sunshine. That little bit of sun won’t help much- highs today will only reach into the upper 40’s. Tonight the clouds will clear and we’ll drop down into the upper 20’s. Sunny tomorrow but highs only in the low 40’s. We should be in the upper 50’s this time of year!
More Clouds On The Way; Big Cool Down Monday Night
It might seem chilly outside right now, but temps will actually stay above freezing again tonight (mid 30s) as more clouds push in followed by another push of cold air for Monday night and Tuesday, as well as Tuesday night. Monday’s highs should reach the upper 40s in the cloud cover. As skies clear late Monday another push of cold air will drop temps into the upper 20s by Tuesday morning. Tuesday’s highs in the sunshine should reach no higher than the low to mid 40s in the sunshine along with a cold northerly wind. Tuesday night we should see mid 20s for lows before int warms up a little bit (into the 50s for Wednesday through Friday.
Another strong front should push through by Saturday with good rain chances late Friday, Friday night and Saturday, and once again, we have a chance to see snow flurries later Saturday through Saturday night. Sure seems like someone pushed the “winter” button!
