Community Corner

Cold Weather is Likely to Return

Blame it on the meandering jet stream.

So it's going to warm up on the weekend. We're scheduled to get rain along with temperatures into the high 50s.

But don't break out the Tiki lamps just yet. The cold weather isn't over.

Agricultural climatologist Pam Knox, who works in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, predicts that we're going to get another "shot" of cold air in a week or so. It's a pattern that will likely reoccur this winter.

Find out what's happening in Athenswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The big question mark is what is the impact of all that snow on the air temperature?" Knox said. The wind that blows south from the Northwest and Midwest is going to be very very cold because it travels over so much snow.

"This year, we've seen a lot of roller coaster weather due to the meandering jet stream, and we will probably continue to see these ups and downs as the winter progresses, although hopefully not this cold again," said Knox. "I wouldn't be surprised to see some snow this winter as well in this kind of weather pattern."

Of course, the cold weather is good for killing pests and other uglies you don't want in your house or yard. The bad news is that it may kill the citrus groves in Florida. There, if the temperature falls to less than 28 degrees for more than 4 hours, trees start to die. 

Find out what's happening in Athenswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

While Tuesday was very cold, Athens has handled more extreme temps. On January 21, 1985, the temperature was minus four, with snow on the ground.

 


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