Labor Day is the holiday that is thought of as the unofficial end of the summer season. As we head into fall, weather forecasters are turning their attention to winter.
The Farmers’ Almanac released its 2022 extended winter weather outlook that indicates this winter season will have plenty of snow, rain, and mush — as well as some record-breaking cold temperatures.
Weather Edge forecaster David Powell gave us a look at his own extended winter weather outlook and says he agrees with parts of the Farmers’ Almanac’s outlook indicating a lot of snow.
click to download audioHe says this is going to be a La Nina winter, which can alter the atmospheric pattern in a lot of different ways and effects the position of the jet stream. Powell says the other thing he’s watching is the water temperature in the Gulf of Alaska which will be a factor influencing our weather.
click to download audioHe notes the polar vortex, the coldest air in the northern hemisphere that is held in place by a wall of wind, has been weakened by a typhoon in the Philippines and created a southern stratospheric warming event that will allow some of that cold air into our region.
click to download audioAccording to Powell, the temperatures in October look more like a winter pattern, and he wouldn’t be surprised to see an early frost.
click to download audioHe says it does look like we will have some significant winter weather.
click to download audioThen there is the persimmon folklore where if the kernel is spoon-shaped, expect plenty of snow. If it is fork-shaped, plan on a mild winter with powdery, light snow, and if the seed is knife-shaped, expect frigid winds that will cut through you like a blade.
click to download audioPowell says this is the third year for a La Nina weather pattern which is very unusual and causes extreme weather conditions. He notes in the last four or five months we have had five, one in a thousand year flooding experiences — eastern Kentucky being one of those. Powell says that tells us the weather pattern is in an extreme mode and he has no doubt it will extend into our winter weather pattern.
