Winter Weather Patterns

Winter is upon us. This doesnt mean we have to strike a baleful note of doom, though it should remind many of us that winter generally brings more cloudy skies to North America. In 2015, an Alaska-based climate blogger, Brian Brettschneider, examined cloud coverage data from selected weather stations in the National Climate Data Center's (NCDC) Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN). He created a series of maps showing the cloudiest parts of the U.S., the distribution of cloud cover by month and the cloudiest months for each first order reporting station.

Key Takeaways:

• Winter in North America typically features more widespread and persistent low-level clouds, resulting from stable atmospheric inversions and reduced solar heating, which contrasts with the transient convective clouds of warmer seasons.
• The role of atmospheric moisture changes seasonally, contributing to convective storms in summer, while in winter, it forms widespread low clouds, fog, and various types of precipitation like snow and freezing rain.
• Pilots must recognize that winter weather patterns, particularly strong and prolonged inversions or fog, are highly regional and can significantly differ from local experience, requiring careful risk management when flying to unfamiliar areas.

Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->

See a mistake? Contact us.