Much of the Southern US including the southern plains and Mid-South was under a winter storm warnings this past week. Areas as far south as Alabama, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas was under winter storm warnings and had several inches of snow. Huntsville Alabama and Dallas Texas both ended an over 2,000 day period without 1 inch or more of snow. Only a few states were not under some kind of winter weather alerts. Cold arctic air went deep south into Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi and parts of North Alabama, Tennessee and even down to the gulf coast. Many places in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas were close to or below zero. Stratospheric warming in the polar stratosphere was a major contributor to this weeks cold air. Blocking in the High-latitude is also one of the contributors to letting cold air dive into the deep south. A wavy jet stream also contributed to the cold and active weather. Research shows that the Arctic is warming at three times the rate of the global average. This cold weather and the back to back winter storms will cost billions and have a major economic impact. Georgia managed to escape the worst of the weather but still had several very cold nights and mornings. Although Georgia was not directly impacted by the extreme cold in terms of temperatures at or below zero and the heavy snow and ice Georgia will be impacted by the price increase at the pumps and potentially groceries.
Below is snowfall accumulation between 9/30/20 and 2/20/21
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