WHY: ACCORDING TO TOPPER SHUTT, CHIEF METEOROLOGIST FOR WUSA-TV IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THIS IS TRUE ABOUT 70 PERCENT OF THE TIME, ESPECIALLY FROM THE EAST COAST TO THE PLAINS. THUNDER IN WINTER IS AN ANOMALY OFTEN CAUSED BY A BIG DIP AND A BIG RISE IN THE JET STREAM (A POWERFUL WIND CURRENT THAT ACTS LIKE RAILROAD TRACKS, GUIDING HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS NORTH AMERICA AND SEPARATING COLD AIR IN THE NORTH FROM WARM AIR IN THE SOUTH). AS COLD AIR MOVES SOUTH, IT REPLACES WARM AIR AND LIFTS IT UP, OFTEN CAUSING THUNDERSTORMS. THE COLD AIR BEHIND THE FRONT SETTLES IN. DEPENDING ON THE STRENGTH OF THE FRONT, IT MAY HANG AROUND FOR MANY DAYS. WHEN THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM ARRIVES SEVERAL—IF NOT EXACTLY 7—DAYS LATER, TEMPERATURES MAY STILL BE COLD ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE MOISTURE IN THE SYSTEM TO FALL AS SNOW. PROVERB: IF THERE IS THUNDER IN WINTER, IT WILL SNOW 7 DAYS LATER.
Caption this Meme
