Winter Weather Smarts

Now that winter is upon us, its a good time to look at cold-weather patterns and get an idea of what to expect. You may be familiar with the weather around your local airport, but your travels could take you into unusual corners of the United States, and perhaps into Canada. Winter brings a huge number of weather hazards to worry about, including the thunderstorms that plague the summer months, but by understanding how things are linked together, you can stay on top of things and remain safe.

Key Takeaways:

• Winter weather is primarily driven by the sun's southward shift and reduced heating, creating distinct cold air masses originating from Canada and the Pacific Ocean.
• Canadian polar air masses bring extremely cold temperatures, strong northwest winds, and widespread low-level turbulence as they rapidly expand southeastward.
• Pacific air masses move eastward across the US, causing significant weather ranging from heavy precipitation in the West to major winter storms (snow/ice) and severe thunderstorms in the Central and Eastern states by drawing Gulf moisture.
• Winter conditions also lead to a stronger, more southerly jet stream, increasing clear air turbulence (CAT), and present specific hazards such as radiation fog and persistent valley fogs.

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