BLOG: Swing Continues

The January swing continues. After topping out at 66 degrees Saturday with wall to wall sunshine, we are stuck in the upper 30s/near 40 with some snow in Maryland.

The center of the storm is passing to the south in Virginia, with moisture spreading all the way up into Baltimore City. On the northern fringe of this storm, temperatures are above freezing but the dewpoints (measure of moisture in the air) is way below freezing. When it precipitates, the air cools around it. So the temperatures come down, while the dewpoints go up. Since the dewpoints are so far below freezing to start, that's why we are seeing the precipitation stay in the frozen form - with snow flurries outside Monday afternoon and evening. There could be icy spots on the roads Monday evening with the sun setting and temperatures dropping, so take it slowly the next few hours. In just a few hours, this storm will already be leaving us - heading out to sea.

Sunshine returns Tuesday and temperatures will already start rebounding. We are looking at highs near 50 degrees, then topping out close to 50 again on Wednesday and Thursday. However, a much bigger storm will be moving our way during that time. This storm is also coming up from the south, but will make a turn up the East Coast. There are a few different parts to this storm. It will initially bring rain Wednesday but could end as some snow early Thursday. Then scattered rain/snow showers are possible late Thursday and Friday before things settle down. But the biggest thing with this storm is that it will flip our weather pattern to colder for a while. Friday will be a transition day, with highs only in the 30s over the weekend and overnight lows back in the 20s.

This is statistically the coldest time of the year for Baltimore. Our average high is 41 degrees with the low at 24 degrees through Jan. 25. That's when the averages start climbing again - albeit very slowly.