Meteorological winter off to a cold start

With the polar jet stream far south of the Ohio River in a mid-winter position, cold Canadian-source high pressure air masses have dominated the Great Lakes and Midwest weather pattern the first few days of December. With the fresh snow cover enhancing the effects of the cold air mass, the work week ahead for Chicagoans portends temperatures nearly 14 degrees below normal. Computer models indicate the polar jet may briefly buckle back north next weekend, but then quickly re-establish back to its present position with a fresh infusion of northwest flow aloft and colder air resuming the following week of Dec. 11-17. At least until mid-month, the primary storm track will be from Texas east through the Southeast U.S. with periodic severe thunderstorm outbreaks and heavy rains over that area.
In the eastern Atlantic, Epsilon—the 26th named storm of the 2005 season—was forecast to drift southwest and eventually weaken to a tropical depression.