Why has it been so cold at night in Pennsylvania?
(WHTM) — This time of year is supposed to be cold, but with the temperatures and wind we have been seeing here in central Pennsylvania lately, it has been colder than normal.
The normal high for this time of year is in the upper 30s, but lately, we have been seeing high temperatures barely above the freezing mark, and low temperatures dipping into the single digits in some locations, with winds making it feel even colder.
But what is the reason for this cold snap, especially with the temperatures dropping so low at night? It has to do with clear skies and snow cover.
According to abc27 meteorologist Dan Tomaso, one of the reasons we are seeing such cold low temperatures is due to something called radiation cooling, which only occurs at night. When skies are cloudy, the air can get trapped under clouds, resulting in a greenhouse effect. Clouds help bounce the radiation back to the earth, which keeps it warmer. When the skies are clear, that effect is lost and the heat from the ground is lost to space.
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Snow cover also contributes to why temperatures get so low during the night. Tomaso stated that snow acts like a freezer near the ground and that snow cover to our north is important to keep it cold. This “freezer effect” can happen regardless of what time of day it is.
Sometimes, the combination of cold air and snow cover will “feed itself” according to Tomaso. If you have cold air, that can lead to more snow, which can then lead to more cold air and cause a cycle to form.
For those who don’t like the cold, temperatures will be warming into the 40s and 50s by the end of this week, according to the abc27 weather team.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
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