WSET.com - ABC13February Thaw by Lyndsay Tapases

Last week at this time, we received word that the famous Groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, did NOT see his shadow. That, according to legend, is supposed to indicate the early arrival of spring. Since that promise was made last week, many have been patiently waiting and anticipating a warm-up, even if it is only temporary, to help us through the rest of the winter and remind us that its end is right around the corner!

We haven't been the only ones dealing with the brutal cold this winter, and in fact the latest deep freeze dives deep into the heart of Texas, where temperatures through tomorrow will be in the 20s. The normal high for Dallas this time of year? 59 degrees. Clearly, a warm-up is much needed, and folks from the Plains to the Midwest to the Southeast to the Mid-Atlantic will be welcoming this thaw with open arms. So here's how it will play out.

Meteorologists often reference the Jet Stream when talking about the separation of cold and warm air-masses. Right now, the Jet Stream is diving well into the South, unlocking the cold arctic air deep into Texas. But beginning tomorrow, that chill will start to ease as the Southern dip in the Jet begins to transition East, taking the core of the cold along with it. As that occurs, a warm-up begins in the West that will slowly spread Eastward over the next several days. The warm-up begins in the Plains on Friday, and then into the Midwest and Southeast by the weekend as the cold retreats to the Northeast. By Sunday, we finally start to feel the warmth in the Mid-Atlantic.

As the Jet Stream becomes re-situated to our North next week, we will transition into what is called a "Zonal" weather pattern, meaning warm air will continue to filter in as the general wind direction remains from West to East. (The opposite of this is a "Meridional" pattern, which generally brings our winds in from the Northwest, resulting in colder air in the East).

Right now, it looks like this Zonal pattern sticks around through at least the end of next week. For us, that means a prolonged period of temperatures in the 50s and 60s, with some locations in the Southside possibly reaching 70 degrees by the end of the week. In addition, we don't see any promising chances for rain through at least Thursday (the 17th). So even though we missed out on a January Thaw, enjoy the well earned February Thaw that is on the way!