Winter storms leave 89 dead across US as chill settles over Great Lakes and Northeast

A winter storm blew across the Pacific Northwest earlier this week, covering Portland, Oregon in a quarter-inch of ice.

Now, stunning satellite imagery from the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere at Colorado State University shows the storm’s path across the western US.

While arctic winds and snow might seem like quite the change after 2023, the hottest year on global record by a wide margin, this month’s weather patterns don’t indicate that global warming is getting better — or that there is no climate crisis.

Cold weather events can and still do occur as our planet warms, even as we approach the 1.5C (2.7F) temperature goal set by the global Paris Agreement to prevent the most harmful consequences of the climate crisis.

In fact, a warming climate can sometimes increase the likelihood of unusual cold weather events.

For example, climate change is responsible for increasing the frequency and intensity of heavy precipitation, according to a widely-cited, peer-reviewed study from 2015.

Further, a warmer atmosphere can also hold more water, leading to more rain and snow, according to Climate Signals, a nonprofit that specializes in climate attribution research. New research also indicates a warming Arctic may lead to arctic air outbreaks in the US — just like what we’re seeing today across the country.

While we’re not yet clear on how climate change has impacted this specific storm spell, we do know this: This month’s storms do not indicate the climate crisis has disappeared.

Washington, DC and the surrounding region could see up to 2 inches of snow on Friday morning, the National Weather Service forecasts.

That precipitation could bring more closures to the region as the NWS warns of a hazardous commute tomorrow morning.

Earlier this week, several nearby school districts closed and federal offices shut down for the day for the time in two years after about 3 inches of snow blanketed the nation’s capital.

With temperatures getting colder and colder amid the winter months, many pet owners may be wondering whether their furry friends are as cold as we are.

Despite the cold weather, it’s still necessary that dogs go outside for a walk and do their business. But with their layer of fur, it can be difficult to tell if man’s best friend is actually capable of withstanding the freezing temperatures.

Brittany Miller has some tips to determine whether or not it’s too cold outside to be walking your dog:

The lowest and highest temperatures recorded in the continental US on Wednesday morning were 111 degrees apart, according to the National Weather Service.

Monticello, Kentucky hit -22F (-30C) Tuesday morning, while Atlantis, Florida hit 89F (31C).

• The midwest can expect an “arctic air intrusion,” according to the National Weather Service. While the temperatures on the whole won’t drop as low as last week, some places, like Missouri and Kansas, will face sub-zero temperatures by Saturday morning. On top of that, wind chill — as low as -20 to -30 — is likely to affect those areas too.
• The Great Lakes region is also expected to experience lake-effect snow showers.
• Out east, snowfall is anticipated in the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England coastal regions. There is a winter storm warning in effect for parts of West Virginia on Friday.
• ‘Dangerously cold’ air is supposed to impact the southern states, including Mississippi and Louisiana, from Friday through Saturday night. Wind chills are expected to be in the single digits.
• In the west, heavy precipitation will continue. Snow could turn into freezing rain or sleet in Washington, while heavy rain is anticipated to slam California. In the Sacramento Valley, heavy rain on Friday evening into Saturday is likely to turn into heavy snow on Sunday afternoon.