VAN WERT – For several days, specialists from the National Weather
Service have been predicting a gradual warming trend for much of this
week. While that pattern will start to take shape near the weekend, it
will be slow to come because of the 12-inch snow pack that was still on
the ground going into the week.
“It’s amazing how much difference
an ongoing heavy blanket of snow can make over a period of time,” said
weather specialist Rick McCoy. “With the ground blanketed for most of
February and especially heavy over the last week following last Monday
night’s 10.5-inch snowstorm, the air is quite saturated with coldness
from the ground up.”
Still, weather specialists continue to
anticipate milder air gradually moving into the area, following Sunday
night’s overall moderation to 35 degrees and following night-time
temperatures dropping to single digits at night over most of the last
week.
“A much milder pattern is ahead this week as an upper low
and trough amplifies over western North America,” said weather
officials. “This pattern will cause a high zonal/west to east upper flow
to develop that will prevent arctic air from reaching the forecast
area.
“At the onset earlier this week, deep snow cover will take
some time to melt and will help temper highs from rising above the lower
40’s until this coming weekend,” commented weather service officials.
“We have raised the prediction for temperatures by three to four degrees
Saturday with the likelihood of the loss of most snow cover south of
Highway 30.”
Many area farmers have mixed feelings over the heavy
snow cover with the realization that there is going to be a goodly
amount of moisture to soak into the ground once the snow melts,
depending on the type of ground. Others are thankful for the heavy snow
across the pending wheat, especially as protection from the extremely
cold temperatures over the past couple of weeks.
Weather officials
won’t venture as to whether March 1 (Monday) will come in like a lion
or a lamb, although Saturday and Sunday they are anticipating Sunny
skies with highs in the mid-40’s.
Average high temperatures for
the first few days of March range in the low 40’s while warming to the
low to mid 50’s by the first of April. Currently, there is no moisture
predicted for the rest of this week.