Winter has once again rolled around to Virginia and across the globe! With it comes the age-old question asked by exhausted parents and hopeful children and teens alike: Will there be snow? To answer this question, it is important to first look at what is exactly causing the colder temperatures and weather the world experiences every winter season.
“It’s caused by a polar vortex. That’s when the jet stream will drop down; anytime it gets down way past Virginia, we get that arctic blast from the North Pole.” Hidden Valley’s local snow expert, Mrs. Oaks (Science), says.
The vortex is always forming, but it grows stronger come late October to early March. Weather reports claim the polar vortex is stronger in the 2023 and 2024 winter compared to the last. However, Mrs. Oaks adds, “Cold air itself does not have a lot of moisture in it. That’s why our best snowstorms in Roanoke are when we have the cold air coming up from the Gulf of Mexico. It avoids our mountains to where we can get that moisture for snow.”
But never fret; ready your snow dances! This is also an El Niño year, meaning the southern part of America may get more moisture from the Gulf than usual. Combining the precipitation of El Niño and the blasts of freezing air coming from the north, Virginians can expect the right weather to produce snow as the polar vortex strengthens throughout winter.
“Our best snows usually come in January and February. We’ll obviously get more [snow] than last year. I would guess just a couple inches to get out of school.” Mrs. Oaks concludes hopefully. She continues that she is preparing her snow dance for the minute forecasts show signs of snow. So, take a page from her book and do a little shimmy for the snow to arrive, because the weather this winter is predicted to be perfect for snowfall!