A January Thaw Ahead

Can it possibly get any colder? I know some of you have been thinking that this week. Yes, it could be. The temperature in Flasher, ND dropped to -34 Friday morning, making it the cold spot in the nation. Flasher is just outside of Bismarck, ND, and they have 18 inches of snow on the ground. Some Kansans still have snow 4-8 inches deep in certain areas, but there is relief on the way. The computer data we look at suggests next week will be our first opportunity to thaw out with temperature readings possibly getting into the mid 50s for SW Kansas on Tuesday. It's going to take several weeks before any Arctic air can reload in Canada, so we should expect temperatures to be near normal or above through January 20th.

During this cold snap, we've received some great pictures from viewers across Kansas. Donneta Felbush sent the picture of the sun, but look at the bright spots on the left and right of the sun. Those are called "sun dogs" and it is caused by ice in the atmosphere. The ice crystals refract sunlight (like a prism) to form those spots. They are very common during the wintertime, when you're bound to have more ice in the atmosphere.

Another great picture is from Rick Reeser in NW Kansas. You are looking at "hoar frost". It forms in prolonged periods of subfreezing temperatures where moisture is collecting on surfaces that are also below freezing. When it turns foggy and temperatures are below 32 degrees, you should expect to see hoar frost. Mother Nature can be beautiful in the wintertime, but it's sometimes hard to see because we are so focused on trying to keep ourselves from freezing to death. Have a wonderful weekend.... and stay warm. Look for Millie Saturday and Sunday nights.