Cold Blast North, Cooler South

National Radar, Image: NOAA

Temperature Forecast, Image: NOAA

The national radar map is pretty quiet this Sunday morning after a stormy week that left much of the Central Plains and Mid-Mississippi River Valley with flooding rains and standing water. Cold air is the rule across the Northern Plains, winter weather advisories are in effect for the South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska and Minnesota. Snow will be on the ground in some states. Meanwhile frost advisories are in effect for the Northeast as they prepare for a cold blast. It is the middle of October and the cool summer is turning into an early winter for much of the northern half of the country.

However, keep in mind folks that El Nino is still in effect. An El Nino pattern usually means a mild winter for the northern tier states. So, even though you’re getting hit by some winterlike storms now, it’s not an indicator for bitter cold this winter season.

Meanwhile, the deep South is getting some relief from the burning temperatures last week. A cold front slipped all the way into the gulf of Mexico, dampening the rain chances this weekend and allowing for cooler, drier air to slide in. The Southern states will see that cool air erode again next week.

-Dawn Brown