[Posted Aug 16, 2024]
The cold has come, and generally it looks like it will bring low 20 highs for today and the weekend. This post is mainly going to be just for the reason why we’re getting the cold.
At this very moment we are sort of in the middle of the polar and equatorial jet streams. The polar is just a few hundred kilometres north, while the equatorial is in the central US. Generally when this pattern occurs, we’ll get near average temperatures. We are looking like few degrees below, though, and that would be all from the rain. Usually when rain falls it’ll make the temperature rise much slower than normal, so lower highs. If we were going to be dry, we would probably be getting highs more like 22-25.
The reason that we’re getting all the cold and rain is a sneaky little low that formed recently over southern BC. It managed to split the entire jet stream in two, making the polar and equatorial jet streams, and it also sent out an army of troughs into the surrounding area, exploding the couple clouds we had last night into a full on overcast-with-light-rain Nimbostratus.
The reason we are going to keep getting rain all through the weekend is the low, of course. It’s staying put, sending out trough after trough keeping the prairie Nimbostratus alive even through the whole time the jet stream is pulling it away at lightning speed off to Hudson Bay. Eventually, something like Sunday night or Monday morning, a high will push up the jet stream enough that it blocks the low from making any more troughs. This ridge is actually going to be part of an omega block, meaning we’ll get hot real fast on Monday.
Overall for the weekend, expect highs in the low 20s, with some showers at times, sunny breaks at others, and possible thundershowers in the afternoons/evenings.
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