This week's powerful winter storm, on its way from Southern California to New England, passed just north of Columbia through the night. As it approached, energized by the jet stream, a thunderstorm erupted above the city, a startling event after days of frigid weather. Strong, counterclockwise winds, surrounding the central low pressure, brought in warm air from the south and, at dawn, it is 42 degrees F; winds are from the southwest, gusting to 40 mph.
As the storm continues its journey to the northeast, its trailing cold front will sweep across Missouri, the winds will shift to the west-northwest and the temperature will fall through the day. We can expect relatively mild conditions over the next 36 hours before another Arctic air mass plunges into the Heartland. Just another winter in the Midwest!
