Weather Picture for January 5-11 from Tornado Bob

(Thursday afternoon update):

The active, snowy weather pattern we've been in since December 5 is now drawing to a close. We will continue to have some rounds of light snow or flurries, but no significant snowfalls (1" or greater) are in sight. The Alberta Clipper storm track has shifted south of us and will be through western and southern Minnesota for the next few days before it disappears entirely as the upper level flow becomes more northerly and dry. Once the more northerly flow becomes established, it will drive some bitterly cold Arctic airmasses into the northern U.S. Right now, that transition looks to happen about Tuesday-Wednesday of early next week, but the timing of that transition seems to keep getting delayed, so there's some possibility it could happen later in the week, but I do think it will eventually happen. It will mean highs in the subzero (F) range for a few days and lows in the -20s or -30s (and -40 or so in the coldest spots).

The usual evolution after such a bitter Arctic outbreak is for the pattern to become much milder as the Arctic air source is exhausted, but that milder pattern may be a couple weeks away. In either case, the weather will probably be drier than average for the rest of January.

(Original):

I measured 5.2" new snow in Grand Rapids over the weekend. We certainly have enough snow now to keep the trails in pretty good shape for a while.

It will once again be a relatively cold week this week but no mega deep-freeze weather. We should have highs in the single digits and low teens and lows mostly below zero. It's still a good time to be applying that low temperature wax. There are some hints that a milder weather pattern may begin sometime around the January 15or so, but until then, expect below average temperatures.

Weather systems will affect us this week on Tuesday and Friday. On Tuesday, a trough of low pressure will move into Minnesota, but the system will be very moisture-starved, so I expect only a dusting of snow to fall. On Friday, a somewhat stronger system will be capable of producing a band of 2-6" snows, most likely just south of Brainerd, but there's definitely a chance Grand Rapids could see some modest accumulating snows as well.