Siberia Freeze Intensifies; Record-Setting Snow Hits Michigan–More On The Way; Boise Breaks 124-Year Cold Record; + Norway’s Icy March

Siberia Freeze Intensifies

Following a brutally cold winter in Siberia, spring is proving to be just as harsh–certainly in northern reaches. 

Here, winter is refusing to let up with temperature anomalies of as much as -12C below the multidecadal norm a regular feature.

A further intensification is due this week, with today, April 4, forecast to deliver -30C (-22F) to Taimyr and -18C (0.4F) to Evenkia. 

By Wednesday, the worst of the initial cold will have shifted to the western regions of Yakutia; however, before the weekend, another swirling mass of Arctic air will plunge into the north of Siberia, bringing with it a gradually descending frost line and abnormally cold conditions to the likes of Cape Chelyuskin and Krasnoyarsk–for example.

Record-Setting Snow Hits Michigan–More On The Way

Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula have been pummeled by an astonishing volume of snow these past few days, as the never-ending winter of 2022-23 drags on into April.

Wave after wave of intense snow moved through the U.P., accumulating at a rate of 5 inches per hour in some spots.

The snow to led to widespread power outages, with restoration times delayed by the bad weather conditions.

“As the record-setting snowfall event comes to a close, here are some of the highest snowfall reports we have received,” said NWS meteorologists in Gaylord, who pointed to Norway’s 22 inches, Kinross’s 20 inches, and Sault Ste. Marie’:’s 18.6 inches–a new record–to name just three.

More snow is on the way this week, especially for the eastern U.P., as a quick clipper system drops additional inches.

Temperatures will also prove Baltic, delivering departures of as much as -16C off the seasonal average across vast areas:

Boise Breaks 124-Year Cold Record

The above forecast is particularly depressing news for residents of Boise, Idaho who haven’t seen 60F for 150+ days.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the city’s record for the most consecutive days below 60F previously stood at 153 days–set 124 years ago, way back in 1899–but that record was extended on Monday, April 4 to 154 days.

The Boise area is forecast high temperatures well under 60F through the remainder of the week, meaning the city will likely set a new benchmark of 158 days on Friday. The NWS then sees “near 60F” on Saturday and a high “near 68F” on Easter Sunday. But until then, unusual lows and unseasonable snows will persist.

Historically, by March 24 Boise’s snow is over and done with. But not this year. And not last year, either, with 0.5 inches settling on May 9. Traces of snow in June have occurred just four times since 1872, with the June of 2008 being the most recent (deep solar minimum of cycle 23).

Overall, it’s been a cold start to the year across the United States — not just in Idaho. According to even warm-mongers NOAA, this year (to March 30) the U.S. has set 13 new all-time low temperature records versus the big fat 0 for heat.

Norway’s Icy March

Along with Finland and Sweden (as reported on yesterday), Norway also suffered a historically cold March of 2023.

Last month was very cold across the country, and closed with a temperature anomaly of 2.9C below the norm.