Hi folks,

Looks like it's been a quiet couple of weeks on here! Main news story around these parts has been the significant drop in temperature compared to what most of September and Early October brought. Temps now in the single digit range and our first frost of the season the other night, down to -1.9c last night and with it the first snows of the season into NW parts of the state as CP24 Toronto reports here : http://www.cp24.com/news/communities-north-of-gta-see-first-snowfall-of-season-1.1510903.

Mostly slushy deposits but some parts did get 2-3 inches before it melted in the favourite lake-effect belts. Barrie, ON just past celebrating the visit of the Duchess Royal also saw flurries. Winter ain't far around the corner. Always amazes me how quickly the seasons swing over here compared to the gradual if often rainy downturn back in Scotland!

Weather looks set around Hamilton for the next 7-10 days with temps remaining between 7-10c and the chance of rain showers only. Potential, emphasis the word Potential for a Halloween horror of a storm next week that the models are touing with. Could be a major storm through the Great Lakes or over on the Eastern Seaboard. Likely to be rain but you never know, one to keep an eye on over the next few days.

Here's a few pics from leaf-fall this season :

Dundas Hwy 6 looking up the escarpment towards our house

Webster falls below

Well, since my last report we have been gradually cooling, nothing spectacular - wintery stuff limited to sleet on one day and a brief bit of freezing rain on another.  Frosts are a regular feature now with average highs in the 8-12C range.

Sunday is the first day we are expecting to see some of the white stuff - temps are supposed to max at 3C the beginning of the day and drop after that, to a low of -8C overnight.  This is accompanied by rain showers/flurries; haven't checked the charts but sounds like an Alberta clipper, so wouldn't expect more than an inch or two by Monday morning.  After that temps bounce back up and are expected to be at the mid-teen mark by Wednesday.

Peter

July 2013 - June 2014 Stats
Elevation: 1084m
Latitude: 51° 6' N
Warmest Temperature: 32.8c 02/07/12
Coldest Temperature: -4.0c 04/10/12
Days with thunderstorms: 7
Days with rain falling: 34
Days with snow falling: 0
Days with snow lying: 0
Maximum snow depth: 0" (0cm)
Current snow depth 0" (0cm)

Hi Peter,

Today's storm now looks like being rather more significant than it did a few days ago, with 10-15cm of snow forecast for Calgary: http://weather.gc.ca/warnings/report_e.html?ab12#ab12-872cweg-072400

Classic Calgarian roller coaster temperature ride too, with the balmy 20c recoded under sunny skies yesterday to be replaced with mid-afternoon readings of -4c today and -11c overnight. A chilly -6c for a high tomorrow but bouncing back to +13c by Thursday. More variation in a few days than I'll see in the next six months! Will be keeping an eye on the webcams: http://wx.ca/?service=page/SkyCams

As Stewart reports cooler Fall weather has reached the east too. Another cold shot into the eastern Great Lakes early next week but as usual at this time of year areas to the North and East away from the still warm lakes will see the sharpest dip in temperature. Quebec City might see some accumulating snow tomorrow and a high near 0c on Tuesday before things warm up later in the week. Another cold shot may be on the cards for the east next weekend.

It's been a slow transition to colder weather for parts of the far north. Keeping an eye on the Kimmirut webcam it's been largely snow free with temps above freezing for much of October. However things have now turned colder with a light dusting of snow yesterday and cooler subzero readings forecast for all of next week. http://www.kimmirutweather.com/

It's been a mild October over here too with most stations in Scotland a degree or two above average. No sign of frost yet here on the balmy Fife Riviera though it's more typically late November when we  see our first air frost of the season.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

That's some temp variation Summer / Winter /Spring in a few days and with snow cover

Temperature variations is something we do  :-)

As far as snow cover, we didn't get as much as they said, mainly because it was rain to begin with and turned to snow on a relatively warm ground.  Probably not more than 2" lying once all was said and done.  5mm of rain and 4cm of snow officially.

As I noted above, we did get a dump of snow Sunday - though it was mainly the English wet type.  Stuck around for a few days but with warming temps it has gone by today.  We're currently at 11c, expecting the same for tomorrow.  The weekend is a different story though, currently forecasting 2 snow days with temps at or a bit below 0C.  Maybe will warm again a bit next week, but we're certainly on the brink of winter here....

Peter

July 2013 - June 2014 Stats
Elevation: 1084m
Latitude: 51° 6' N
Warmest Temperature: 32.8c 02/07/12
Coldest Temperature: -11.2c 28/10/12
Days with thunderstorms: 7
Days with rain falling: 35
Days with snow falling: 2
Days with snow lying: 4
Maximum snow depth: 2" (5cm)
Current snow depth 0" (0cm)

I wonder if this will come off....
http://s6.postimg.org/aadliyjcx/eurowx.png 

Hi folks,

As posted above by Four, this will be main weather talk for the next week across the Eastern 3rd of the US & Canada. Storm track if it develops brings it right up thru the Appalations and into the Eastern Seaboard, maybe further West which gives me some scope to be interested as the further NW this one goes we could tap into any snow that falls. Major uncertainty this far out (6 days or so) even on how far south the cold plunge gets, it is going to turn noteably colder though looking at the forecast for Ontario from mid-next week.

For now, we had our first snowflakes of the season yesterday morning as i drove into Hamilton. Nothing major, just a reminder that it was November! Temps have been up and down the past few days from cold at 1-3c to milder 10-12c range. Tomorrow morning we see this repeated again as in any showers that pass thru early, they will be wintry before going wet and temps climb to 9c.

Good to see you got your first snows also Peter, in Calgary. Not sure the lrf's are holding any major clue as to whether this winter will benefit the West or the East snowise.

Have a great weekend everyone

That is a fair amount of snow

 Snow, yes Stewart.  We're certainly into winter now.  We got into a pattern of having snow every weekend, with warmer intervals.  That's repeated this weekend, except that we don't get the warming next week.  Currently sitting just under freezing, and expected to go down to -12C tomorrow.  Next week looks like maximums of -5 to -10, with nights 5 degrees cooler.  10-15cm of snow expected tomorrow, with some more flurries next week.

Peter

July 2013 - June 2014 Stats
Elevation: 1084m
Latitude: 51° 6' N
Warmest Temperature: 32.8c 02/07/12
Coldest Temperature: -13.8c 11/11/13
Days with thunderstorms: 7
Days with rain falling: 35
Days with snow falling: 5
Days with snow lying: 18
Maximum snow depth: 3" (9cm)
Current snow depth 1" (3cm) Patchy

Hi folks,

Yes Peter saw some pics from Southern Alberta this morning on TWN, certainly looked like 6"+ so far from where that footage was filmed. Winter starting to set in out west, this system (pattern) on the Jetstream is what is also driving our weather this weekend in Southern Ontario, very mild at 12c right now but cloudy and breezy, tomorrow very mild and very wet - could be Thunderstorms and a squall-line, which behind it digs in some of the colder air over the west and brings it east! By Tuesday, flurries and just 3c in Toronto.

We had a taste of winter here earlier in the week as a cold front dug down from Northern Ontario with some flurries on it for the Hamilton area but more substantial snow for the snowbelt regions in particular north of T.O. with Hwy400 just 20miles or so out the city a nion whiteout for the morning rush-hour. Always amazes me how people are so foreign to the first of winter even here in Canada, driving standards and doing 80 in the fast lane in snow not a smart idea.

Further afield and the squall line i talked about above could produce some dangerous weather conditions across the border in OH, IL and IN. Straight-line wind damage and the potential for some strong Tornadoes can't be ruled out.

Have a great weekend everyone and get some pics up if you can Peter at some point

Hi Folks, a PDS or particulary dangerous situation in effect from the NWS across the border this afternoon. Already confirmed Tornado damage in IL near Periora, houses destroyed and now new reports of injuries in area just SW of Chicago. In the big town itself, the Bears game at Soldier Field has been called after 20mins due to a Tornado warning. Really serious situation and so unusual for the time of year this far north.

Serious cold front too which is driving this instibility temps will drop some 20f behind the main wind swath. EC report this affecting around here and have a wind warning out as a result :

City of Hamilton 12:08 PM EST Sunday 17 November 2013

Wind warning for  City of Hamilton continued

Strong southerly winds ahead of a cold front will develop this afternoon over much of Southwestern and South Central Ontario. Winds of 50 gusting to 70 km/h are expected in some areas. Behind the cold front, very strong southwesterly winds with much colder air will blast in this evening and into Monday morning with winds gusting up to 90 km/h or above. A few gusts of 100 km/h or more are possible in regions near the Great Lakes and higher ground, such as Southern Niagara, Picton and the Dundalk Highlands.
A low pressure system from Colorado continues to track towards the Great Lakes and will rapidly intensify into a significant fall storm as it approaches Lake Superior later today. The associated cold front is forecast to reach Southwestern Ontario by early this evening then blast east across the remainder of the regions tonight.

Going to be a dangerous weathermaker of an afternoon over here.

Incredible. RT @photojeskos Aerial of destruction in #WashingtonIL pic.twitter.com/XDdLlc3ts1

— The Weather Network (@weathernetwork) November 18, 2013 

Morning all,

That is quite an image, Four.

It's been a very interesting late Fall pattern across NA this year. Plenty of cold air about early in the season as the snow/ice cover map shows, with snow cover all the way down into western Oklahoma and Texas.

It's really been chilly over the Canadian Praries in particular with Regina, SK hitting -30c yesterday with lows in the mid minus 30s elsewhere in the province. These readings are about 15-20c below average.

The Eastern Great Lakes and parts of the NE States should get onto that snow map this weekend as arctic air blasts in and snow flies in the traditional lake-effect belts with 30cm/12" easily achievable in the heavier bands. There will be flurries elsewhere, perhaps a cm or two for you Stewart in Dundas? It will certainly turn cold with highs Sunday -3c or -4c in the Golden Horseshoe and -8c for Ottawa.

What of a storm? There is a potent feature across the west right now bringing snow to even low levels of New Mexico and western Texas and this is forecast to head east as we head into the pre-US Thanksgiving period next week. Too hard to call right now but looks like being too far south and east for a major impact in southern Ontario. Could be very interesting for New England though.

Meanwhile it's a break from the recent cold for Peter in Calgary with highs generally above zero in the coming week.

Enjoy the weekend!

Hi folks,

Quick post, i've had some problems with the login for here and not been able to post, but here goes!

Weather turned wintry at the weekend here with some snow flurries and around 1cm of snow falling on Sat night into Sunday. Temps down at -11c / -19c w/c - the coldest November temperature since 2000 at Hamilton Munro. Our snow was pale in comparison to the 30cm+ London, Ontario saw and other parts of the snowbelt region.

This afternoon we are on the edge of the storm system i talked about last week. This system will bring around 5cm widely across the Lakeshore region thru the evening bringing the first widespread snowfall of the season. Both the cities of Toronto & Hamilton have set in plan their snow plans, wonder how well folk will actually drive in it tomorrow!

Further afield and NE of T.O. places like Ottawa and Montreal look like doing very well out this storm with accumulations of 20cm +, even parts of the Niagara region from St.Catharines East will get into the good snow accumulation zone.

Will post tomorrow with an update if i can.

A couple of pics from this morning's wake-up scene - 

Not a huge snowfall, around 5cm but very picture postcard although slushy in parts. Higher totals north of Toronto and east of here down the Niagara Penninsula.

Snow totals as of 10am this morning across Southern Ontario :

Location                     snowfall amount
                              (centimetres)

Gatineau                            21
Ottawa Airport                     24
Appleton                            22
Drummond centre               22
Cornwall                             20
Kemptville                          22
Pembroke (estimated)          8
Brockville                           17
Kingston                            15
Trenton                              14
Bancroft (estimated)             8
Kaladar                              18
Peterborough (estimated)     8
Whitby (estimated)              6
Toronto Highway 401/Yonge   7
Buttonville Airport                  4
Pearson Airport                     2
Grimsby                               7
St Catharines                        9
Welland                              10
Port Colborne                        8

U can add to that - Hamilton Munro 5cm and Dundas Mountain 6cm 

Not a bad start to winter!

Quite some weather in Calgary at the moment - we are under a blizzard warining, and it really is.  Cannot quite capture it well tonight, but there are a few pics below.  It's more extreme than I've seen in a long time, perhaps ever.  What's extreme is the combo - win 50g80 from the N, heavy, fine blowing snow, temps at -15 and windchill closer to -30.  You don't want to be out in it, that's for sure.

Stay at home....

No you may not open that door.

Not a good time to be an animal in a stable...

Peter

July 2013 - June 2014 Stats
Elevation: 1084m
Latitude: 51° 6' N
Warmest Temperature: 32.8c 02/07/12
Coldest Temperature: -13.8c 11/11/13
Days with thunderstorms: 7
Days with rain falling: 35
Days with snow falling: 9
Days with snow lying: 35
Maximum snow depth: 3" (9cm)
Current snow depth x" (xcm) Varies a lot!!

Great pics

Quite some storm indeed Peter, thanks for the photos. I see some places around Lethbridge received up to 40cm of snow, though how anyone could measure it is beyind me!

Next up it's the plummeting temperatures in the arctic airmass behind the storm. For Alberta and the Prairie Provinces some very cold early December air on tap. Highs by late week will be in the -20s. Will be interesting to see if you crack -30c Peter.

The Arctic air is expected to sweep south right through central areas of the United States too. Heavy snow and severe cold in many northern states and snow expected as far south as Texas and Oklahoma.

http://www.wunderground.com/news/winter-storm-cleon-update-20131202

Well the arctic air has taken hold of much of Canada and the US this week, culminating in a nasty ice storm from northern Texas through Arkansas and into Tennessee, leaving hundreds of thousands without power while temperatures remain well below zero. http://edition.cnn.com/2013/12/06/us/weather-winter-storm/index.html?hpt=us_c1

The cold has a grip out west too with Vancouver and Seattle having ice days and the chance of snow for places in California that very rarely see it (e.g. Fresno).

The core of the arctic air is over the northern Plains into the Canadian Prairies. It's currently -30 or below in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon and Regina, with windchills for some in the mid minus 40s. Daytime highs will struggle into the mid minus 20s in the Prairies. Hopefully Peter will update us on the frigid conditions.

The eastern Gtreat Lakes and much of the NE States have excaped most of the wintry precipitation thus far but it's turning colder there too. Stewart may see some accumulating snow late tomorrow as a small storm rides up the coast and gives a mix of ice, snow and rain through the NE.

It may only be Dec 7th but winter has arrived with a vengeance across the pond.