JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A historic weather event is unfolding in the Northwest United States, with the potential to impact weather across the nation, including a cold air outbreak in Florida.
Tuesday night could see the development of what could become the deepest low-pressure center ever recorded off the Pacific Northwest Coast.
A rapidly intensifying low-pressure system is expected to bomb out reaching a record-breaking strength of 941 millibars based on the GFS forecast models. Historical data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reveals that the current record for the lowest sea-level pressure in this region is 943 hPa, observed on October 24, 2021. If the ongoing system intensifies as predicted, it may set a new benchmark.
Such low-pressure systems, often referred to as “bomb cyclones,” develop through a process called explosive cyclogenesis, characterized by a rapid drop in pressure of at least 24 millibars in 24 hours.
This system, located about 300 miles west of the Olympic Peninsula, is bringing damaging winds up to 70 mph, heavy rain, and snow. Areas in northern California, Oregon, and Washington are bracing for power outages, tree damage, and blizzard conditions in the mountains.
How a Pacific Low Can Influence Weather Across the U.S.
The atmospheric impact of this low-pressure system extends far beyond the Northwest. The system’s intensity could reshape the jet stream, leading to a teleconnection where the upper level winds sling a shot of winter cold into Jacksonville.
This atmospheric arrangement disrupts the typical west-to-east flow of weather patterns, creating a bottleneck that will force cold polar air down the eastern U.S. and make our weekend temperatures feel like January.
The Pathway to a Florida Cold Snap
Cold snaps can happen when big storms like this change the jet stream leading to unusual and extreme weather. It begins with a cold front Tuesday night that ends the low 80s-degree days for the rest of the month. From Thursday through Sunday cooler 60s will reshape the afternoons.
While this cold snap isn’t what we could get in January, it will result in average highs rivaling a typical start to the New Year on the First Coast.
Early-season snow could drop down from the Great Lakes and interior Northeast, with some of it a car drive from Georgia. You could drive to the central Appalachians to see snow potentially reaching over six inches. Forecast models give a 90% chance of at least two inches of snow by Friday around West Virginia.