This March of storms is staying in lockstep
Winter holds New England tight
Today’s spring snow may not be the last of Boston’s back-loaded winter weather season.
This four’ easter could be followed by a ... five’ easter. Maybe even a six’ or seven’ easter.
That’s what weathered meteorology veterans are saying. Yesterday, I called up the Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore, who was in Philadelphia covering this latest snowstorm. I asked him, is this the last one Bostonians have to suffer through this winter? Please say yes, I thought. Cantore laughed. “Are you kidding me?” he told me. “I would not make that bet in a million years.” Well, it didn’t hurt to ask. For the last three weeks, wet air coming up from Mexico has been hitting cold air in New England, the National Weather Service reports. Cantore said the “North Atlantic Oscillation negative phase” — a blocking system that allows storm systems to build up off the East Coast — then comes into effect. While we may have a few days’ respite from a drier high pressure system, it isn’t over.
“The pattern still could produce them. We have a good supply of cold air coming in. I’m not saying there’s going to be one but I wouldn’t rule them out yet,” Cantore said. “We’ve been averaging one every five days here in March.”
For a second opinion, I called WHDH-TV (Ch. 7) chief meteorologist Jeremy Reiner. He concurred with Cantore.
“I hate to say this — after this one there’s nothing concrete, but the pattern might linger into the first week of April. It wouldn’t shock me if we have one more bout of snow between now and the marathon,” Reiner told me.
Snowfall was expected to continue this morning, dumping up to five or six inches of slushy snow on the city, Reiner said. Four nor’easters, including the one that arrived overnight, have pummeled the Bay State over the last three weeks. “We haven’t had an easy March since 2012,” Reiner said. But spring will arrive, he promised.
“It’s delayed,” Reiner said, “but not denied.”
New Englanders eager to put on flip-flops took to Twitter to call Reiner “every name under the sun” after he predicted this latest round of snow.
His mother wasn’t happy with his forecast either.
“She’s sick of it as well,” Reiner said.
Cantore, the Weather Channel’s popular national stormchaser, has spent a lot of time in New England this month.
“It’s kind of a testament of how cruel the month of March can be,” said Cantore, who said March is still primarily a winter month.
“What makes it hard is once you get a taste of 70s, once you feel the warmth on your face, psychology you’re immediately ready to just have spring from now on,” Cantore said, referring to those glorious spring-like temperatures we relished last month. “And going backwards is inexcusable.”
Is there anything you can say to help ease the minds of us snow-weary New Englanders?
“I want you to close your eyes,” Cantore said, “and I want you to think of a beautiful September day.”