Why So Cold So Far This Winter?

Meteorologist Carrie Rose explained on Friday's edition of Virginia This Morning some of the weather and climate patterns that can and are influencing our Winter of 2010-2011 so far. December 2010 for Richmond was the 7th coldest on record, and average temperatures so far in January 2011 have been running about 2 degrees colder than normal, which isn't as drastic as December, but certainly continues the cooler-than-normal temperature pattern. We also already have recorded 10" of snow at Richmond International Airport, when an average entire snowfall season will produce about a foot of snow (11.7" average 1971-2000, or 13.0" average 1897-Present Day). You can watch the video of Carrie explaining this by clicking here. Here's a hint: this graphic explains the dominant atmospheric pattern influencing our weather much of December and January.