Cold sticking around for the first time all season

 

After a winter filled with mild temperatures, the cold weather will finally stay in place for a while across Michiana. 

While nothing extreme by any means, highs remained below freezing with lows in the teens Wednesday, with a similar forecast in store for Michiana into the weekend.

Up until this point, our coldest wintertime high was 21 degrees back on Christmas Day. Low temperatures have dipped into the single digits only twice this season, back in late-December. Only 12 nights have featured below normal temperatures!

South Bend is in the midst of a top-20 warmest winter on record.

However, having snow cover is a game changer when it comes to the cold sticking around. With fresh snow, most of the energy from the sun is reflected back into the sky, leading to colder ground and air temperatures. 

And, as the cold air lasts longer, that can drive snow totals up as well. As a result, with a favorable weather pattern, winter can sometimes feel like a feedback loop between the cold and the snow. 

Our next chance to get back above freezing will be on Sunday as our winter storm moves through.