Strange weather across the United States this Christmas

[gary]

US customers report on the unusual weather across different parts
of the United States this Christmas.

In New York on Christmas Eve, it was 22C (72F), making it the warmest
Christmas Eve on record there, whereas in Southern California there was
snow and ice at 3000'.

In the south, there has been severe thunderstorms, flooding, mudslides
and tornados leaving fourteen dead.

http://www.weather.com/storms/tornado/news/storms-tornadoes-christmas-week-december-21-28-2015

http://www.ibtimes.com/strange-weather-across-united-states-makes-unusual-christmas-eve-2239844

http://ktla.com/2015/12/24/winter-weather-to-hit-socal-christmas-day-could-complicate-motorists-holiday-travel/

[casstony]

They desperately need the snowpack to build up on the Sierra mountains in California as its their main source of water, so snow is very good news.

[wavelandscott]

Snow in CA is great news! Those of us on the East Coast however are having a really strange winter so far. I have been wearing shorts and this evening we enjoyed sausages and prawns on the BBQ. It sure does not seem like Christmas!

[gary]

Sad to learn that at least eleven people have died in tornadoes that tore
through north Texas overnight, including just north of Dallas.

Our thoughts are with friends and colleagues in the north Dallas area.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/weather/stories/Severe-Storms-Leave-Damage-in-North-Texas-363566391.html

[wavelandscott]

Texas weather at the moment is crazy...tornadoes in the Eastern part of the state and 10 ft snow drifts in the West...

Thoughts and positive vibes sent to all...

[sharptrack2]

I'm thankful none of my friends were impacted. I used to live in Richardson, 10kms northwest of Garland. I've been in Oz for almost 12 years now and have watched the weather patterns shift dramatically in both hemispheres.

[gary]

Hi Kevin,

I stayed in Richardson for a couple of nights earlier this year.

A colleague recently moved from Rockwall, TX and told me that it
passed a mile and a half away from the house he was living in there.

[sharptrack2]

I am so glad I got the opportunity to move away from tornado alley. I know bush fires are dangerous but at least they don't just fall down from the sky without warning! Of course I may have to eat my words if the weather we had a couple of weeks ago keeps coming.

The seemingly intelligent behavior of a tornado is mind boggling. Rip one street to shreds but leave the houses on the next street untouched, just phenomenal.

[el_draco]

Wonder what could be causing this strange weather... GLOBALly..:question:
Awfully WARM, isn't it....:rolleyes:

:P

[gary]

Hi Scott,

Season's Greetings!

As if the tornadoes weren't bad enough, the US National Weather Service is
describing the high winds with wind chills as low as minus 23C that is
sweeping through the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles as an "historic
blizzard".

Then in the east of Texas they are experiencing major flooding.

It went from unusually warm, including in some places such as Memphis where
it was a record-breaking high, to bitterly freezing, in the space of hours.
Colossal amounts of energy involved.

[wavelandscott]

Thanks Gary! Season Greetings to you as well!

Yes, it is an incredible amount of energy driving this system. When it reaches us (on the East Coast) we may even get our first measurable snow. I was wearing shorts just the other day...

[casstony]

I watched the news last night for the first time in a while, seems the northern hemisphere is copping a hiding with floods in England too.

With Arctic weather systems being disrupted and pushed further south and a strong El Nino I guess we shouldn't be surprised by odd US weather.

[multiweb]

I was on Skype with my mum couple of days ago and my dad was saying it was unusually warm too. Early they had big snow falls then it all melted, then frosted again then back to warmer. Just a yoyo winter.
I feel for those people in the US who lost their houses. Especially around xmas.

[gary]

In an article in today's Sydney Morning Herald (http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/bomb-cyclone-to-spike-arctic-temperatures-add-to-uks-flooding-woes--20151228-glw1u8.html), Peter Hannam reports on
what meteorologists refer to as a "bomb cyclone" forming in the North
Atlantic, Arctic and North Pole.







SMH article here -
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/bomb-cyclone-to-spike-arctic-temperatures-add-to-uks-flooding-woes--20151228-glw1u8.html

In the Washington Post, Jason Samenow reports -


Washington Post article entitled "Freak storm in North Atlantic to lash UK, may push temperatures 70(F) degrees above normal at North Pole" here -
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/12/28/freak-storm-in-north-atlantic-may-push-temperatures-70-degrees-above-normal-at-north-pole/