So This One Time, In Mid-April...

Yesterday's east wind and rapidly falling barometric pressure told us a low pressure system was developing. By yesterday afternoon, the cold front had pushed to the east of our area. Although the cold front had passed, there was still a line of snow, mix, and intense rain to the west of us. This line of weather was due to an upper level front. There was divergence aloft in the upper atmosphere that could not be seen on a surface map. Just north of Eau Claire on the Minnesota side of the border, some places received a foot of snow. By late last night, the low pressure system that was forming throughout the day was fully developed. It developed along that massive line of instability. 

As the low pressure system continued to move to the east of Eau Claire, the barometric pressure began to rise. At 6:17 am, the barometric pressure was 30.04 in Hg and rising slowly. The temperature at that time was 26.4 degrees F. Currently, the barometric pressure has tapered off and is sitting at 30.05 in Hg. The temperature is 42.1 degrees F with a wind chill of 36 degrees F. This is due to the 3.1 mph ENE winds that are gusting at 7.6 mph. The dew point is 29 degrees F and the relative humidity is 55%, indicating that we will not be seeing precipitation today, as the air is not saturated enough for it. We did, however, receive just a touch over a tenth of an inch of precipitation in the form of rain early this morning. Today should be nicer for the us than yesterday was, since high pressure is moving in behind the low today.

The low pressure system and cold front have moved east of our area, being replaced by a high pressure system moving in from the west.

Forecasts are saying there is a 30% chance of snow today. I personally am not expecting that to happen. Northern Wisconsin, however, is getting lake effect snow right now. There is something terribly sad about the crazy amounts of snow we have been receiving in mid-April.

From the current weather maps, we can see a system developing to the south. If we examine an upper atmosphere map, we can see a trough. I am fairly confident, though, that we will have seen the end of winter by this weekend.

This is the current snowcover map of the nation. Have we finally seen the end of winter? Minnesota residents are certainly hoping so after the foot of snow they just received. In the last 24 hours, Eau Claire has received half an inch of snow. By the way, it's April 23rd.

The majority of the moisture in the air has moved east of Wisconsin.

Right now, the sky is mostly cloudy with stratocumulus clouds. The majority of the clouds are around 2600 feet, making them too low to be altocumulus clouds. You can see the variation across the sky, which is a prominent feature of stratocumulus clouds. These clouds form when temperatures fall near freezing (either a little below or a little above). Stratocumulus often accompany larger-scale, traveling weather systems, especially after a cold front. This is exactly what just happened. Below, you can see the current Eau Claire sky.

stratocumulus clouds covering the sky, looking up from 9th Ave. and Water St. at 3:34 pm