Weather pattern is nothing to brag about but the next 7 days appears promising for now

The recent storm pushes MRG passed the 100-inch mark for the season in emphatic fashion. It also illustrates how interior New England can sometimes manage a very marginal weather pattern and we will have to continue to do so because this same pattern is expected to continue. Though it looks like we might flirt with trouble over the next week, it looks very possible that we continue to make some welcome additions.

Winter weather enthusiasts will be greeted with near zero degree readings Saturday morning and gusty winds. Temperatures will remain in the single numbers throughout the day Saturday but the gusty winds will subside somewhat and set the stage for a calm but very cold Saturday night atop all that fresh snow cover.  Some early sun on Sunday will then give way to clouds but temperatures will moderate from the subzero morning levels to near 20 in the afternoon.

The aforementioned weather pattern continues to be plagued by many familiar components. Though the jet stream in the Pacific is a little weaker this week, it remains very zonal while the Arctic Oscillation just seems to be flailing helplessly in positive territory as it has done all year. Fortunately, the two major areas of cold across the northern hemisphere, one over Alaska and another over Greenland will cast a wide enough net as to occasionally provide some cold weather assistance to northern New England with the case in point being Saturday Feb 8th. The pattern also sets the stage for the continued airmass clash as mild weather dominates areas south of 40 N while cold weather dominates areas north of 45 N.  Vermont is situated on the more wintry side of this clash, although it is a little close for comfort. Nonetheless, there will be several chances for snow and wintry precip with the first coming Sunday night from a rapidly eastward moving and rather benign system. The snow Sunday night will be powdery with temperatures in the 20's but Monday's temperatures are expected to be milder and climb rather close to the freezing mark by the afternoon.

Two additional systems are likely to impact the east coast before Friday. The first appears more likely to impact areas south of Vermont on Tuesday while the 2nd, on Thursday, appears more significant and more impactful for Vermont as a whole. The late week storm could again go one of a few ways and given the persistent strength of the jet stream ridge in the southeast, a wintry mix or rain outcome is still possible. The storm could also bring another round of decent snows however and this is what several models have shown over the past two days. This is probably one of those situations where we would prefer a slightly weaker storm because a stronger and more amplified system would likely bring in some of those unwanted milder temperatures.

Another brief but intense round of cold weather follows Thursday's system and will ensure a wintry start to the holiday weekend. That cold air is indicated to moderate rather quickly by Sunday, February 16th followed by a mild day on President's Day, February 17th. Overall though I will sound like a broken record when it comes to what we should expect for the holiday week altogether. A continuation of very mild weather in the southeast will make 1 or 2 at New England and Vermont. Cold air situated over Canada will push back but temperatures will average above normal and are likely to cross freezing mark at least once or maybe twice that week. That said, winter weather is also possible with a strong, fast flowing jet stream aimed right at us.