John Wheeler: January and February are likely to bring colder, snowier weather

FARGO — Following a mild fall season, our weather pattern across the Dakotas and Minnesota has turned into a classic northwest jet stream pattern since mid-November. When the weather comes consistently from the northwest in winter, the pattern tends to see-saw between dry and cold air from Arctic regions or dry and mild air warmed by Chinook winds from the west. The western high plains get more of the mild weather while northern Minnesota gets more of the cold.

Snowfall tends to be scant, but heavy snowfalls can occur because the fast jet stream can sometimes spin up powerful storms. It is likely that colder and snowier weather will begin to increase in frequency in January and February, especially across North Dakota and Minnesota and less so across South Dakota, especially western South Dakota. "Likely," of course, is not the same as "certain.



" The dynamic nature of winter weather patterns leads to the winter season's fickle nature..