Winter hibernation again, some more
Even though fellow metblogger Erica seems to be ready for spring to begin, as I’m sure a lot of other people are, (including me), the impending winter storm warning is a sharp reminder that spring doesn’t start for two more weeks. However, I hold out hope that the defense shield created by the heat given off by the cities will protect us. Go to noaa.com or weather.com and watch the radar in motion today, and you’ll see what I mean. The storm seems to be charging right for us. But when it reaches the Twin Cities area, a circle of emptiness appears, and the storm breaks up and moves around us. It’s kinda creepy because this winter, every time the local weather guys have said, “Oh, noes! Impending snow doom coming right for us!” I’ve kept a close eye the storm track (being the weather geek that I am). fully expecting to be engulfed in snowy whiteness, but instead have witnessed this phenomenon each and every time. It seems like the urban heat island effect is alive and well here, which I guess is good because there’s less snow to muck up the driving, but probably bad because precipitation is kinda necessary. Hunker down, folks!
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Hi, Kristi–
I’m sure that the urban heat island melts the snow after it has fallen, and I’m willing to believe that it might even melt the snow as it is falling, before it hits the ground. But you seem to suggest that the urban heat actually reduces precipitation–which would create an “urban draught island.” (”Urban desert island?”) Can you suggest a mechanism to explain such an effect, or point to any data that support its existence?
Thanks for the post: this is an interesting topic.
I’m so bitter right now. :P