Winter is Around the Corner.... We Promise!
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Believe me...I have always been an advocate for NOT posting long range snowfall guidance (especially snowfall forecasts that are weeks away). The purpose of sharing this graphic with you is not to lock in snowfall totals or placement itself. Instead, it's meant as a representation for the trends that are forecasted towards the end of the month. A few of the long-range models are hinting at an increase snowpack for the central and western Canadian provinces and extending back down into the Rockies towards the end of this month. This trend is a great representation of the expected cooldown we should expect for some regions of the country by the end of October. Fresh snowpack has a high albedo, meaning that the snow itself tends to reflect more incoming solar radiation than it absorbs. When the sun's solar rays hit the snowy surface, the snow itself begins to melt thereby cooling the air above it (at the surface). The lesson here is that snowpack can help drive temperatures below freezing in our northern latitudes (AKA winter like temperatures). Again... Don't let this map be a foregone conclusion for snowfall in the next couple weeks. Instead, think of it as a sign that winter is on the horizon. For those of you who have not yet experienced their first freeze this season (specifically in the northern half of the U.S) it certainly seems like the freezing temperatures are around the corner here in the coming weeks! Map Courtesy of WeatherBell