Polar Vortex Returns By: Tony Cavalier - Email Updated: Tue 9:13 PM, Jan 06, 2015 Home / News / Headlines List / Article Polar Plunge, 2015 Version It’s a year to the date of the approach of the Polar Vortex (PV) as we were about to shiver our timbers through the coldest night of the young 21st century in 2014. Indeed Tuesday January 7th would see the temperature plunge to 3 below in Charleston and 4 below in Huntington. Not so coincidentally, a clipper snow passed on January 6th last year, much as occurred on Tuesday. My weather diary says we experienced power outs as 50 mile per hour winds and temperatures in the 50s were common. A quick ice up and accumulation of snow snarled traffic and set the stage for the polar plunge. I recall working the noon show with Hattie Cheek, our newest wunder-news anchor. I loved Hattie’s style as she braved the bitter blusters with me during our 5th avenue live shot. A year ago the temperature dropped more than 50 degrees in 24 hours bottoming out at -3 and -4 in Charleston and Huntington respectively. Teeth chattering stuff for sure! This year the clipper passed on Tuesday morning with a streak of accumulating snow from the Scioto Trail eastward along the Bob Evans Highway and all the way east along WV routes 50 and 33. School districts by the dozens delayed or closed in the powdery whiteout. However this year the temperature plummet will have to wait for the first light of Wednesday. It is then that the arrival of an arctic front will catch our attention. As this front passes Wednesday morning, it will be accompanied by a quick burst of snow (or just flurries) that will lower visibilities while coating some roads with snow. You will know that front means business as the northern horizon darkens as though a thunderstorm was swooping in. Behind the front, where the snow falls hard to enough to cover the ground, a deep blue polar sunshine will emerge and glint off the thin mantle of white. Watch you porch thermometer closely as it starts out just below 20 at dawn then tumbles to 15 in the midday sun and 10 by dusk. Then as the stars shiver their timbers at night the mercury will dip toward zero. Throw in a face stinging wind and we have the makings of a harshly cold start to Thursday. Car batteries will be tested mightily and the school schedule will be altered as superintendents debate the usefulness of a 1-2 hour delay. So it’s deju vu as a piece of the Polar Vortex returns one year to the date of its first appearance. That will leave us to wonder if this is the beginning of another long siege of cold and snowy winter weather!
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 02:24:43 +0000
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