Will the Groundhog See His Shadow on February 2nd? Winter Weather Predictions

 

 

If we could take a poll, how many of you would vote that Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow on February 2nd, meaning that there will be six more weeks of winter?

How many of you would vote that the furry man won’t see his shadow and spring will be early this year?

In November, we shared our winter weather forecast. Were we correct or way off the mark? Fortunately, NOAA makes more accurate predictions for upcoming winter weather.

How Does La Nina Affect Winter Weather in Central VA?

The past two winters, 2020 – 2021, and this winter, 2021 – 2022, were dominated by La Nina. And La Nina winters tend to be warmer without a lot of snow.

Learn more: Keep Everyone Safe This Winter: 10 Winter Safety Tips for Your Commercial Property

What is La Nina?

La Nina occurs in the Pacific Ocean when the trade winds blow west and take warmer water from South America to Asia. All of this happens near the equator.

La Nina has a brother named El Nino. Trade winds weaken over the Pacific Ocean during El Nino winters. Instead of warm waters heading to Asia, the warm waters go to the Americas.

La Nina and El Nino are climate patterns that affect our weather for nine to 12 months—including our winters. Both ways cause severe storms that result in wind, fire, and water damage because they control the Jetstream.

Typically, La Nina winters are warmer than usual. January 2022 is an exception to the rule.

What Are Richmond, VA Meteorologists Saying About the Rest of the Winter?

Stormtracker8 posted an article on January 7th, 2022, about the remaining snow chances in February and March for Central Virginia.

The meteorologists said they expect a below-average snowfall. They used data from previous La Nina winters. Normal snowfall expectations for Richmond, VA, are 11-12 inches per year.

For example, we had a La Nina winter last year, and the snowfall measured 7”. However, a snowstorm roaring up the coast will affect Richmond this weekend.

Learn more: Do You Want Your Commercial Property Cleared of Snow ASAP?

Richmond can also see more accumulating snow in February. According to ABC8 News, we could still see snow in the first half of February. The chances for snowfall during the second half of the month will dwindle as we get closer to March 1st, the meteorologists said.

Yet, the weather folks over at ABC8 can’t predict precisely due to many factors. It’s one of those “wait and see” moments where we cross our fingers that the groundhog won’t see his shadow. And spring is right around the corner.

Who knows? We might see another Nor’easter again in February, or we may see more rain with warmer temperatures in the last half of the month.

How BCLS Snow Management Takes the Stress Out of Snowstorms

Do you think Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow or not on February 2nd?

While we can’t control the weather at BCLS Snow Management, we’re thinking snow 24/7 when a Nor’easter or a nuisance ice storm is on its way to Central VA.

At BCLS Snow Management, we have years of experience handling snow events, and we don’t have groundhogs on staff helping us either.

At BCLS, we use advanced technology, and we’re always looking out for you, our customers. We know a Nor’easter or any ice event causes a significant disruption in your business, community, or medical practice.

We use advanced technology to watch the storm’s track, and we can predict when it makes landfall in Central VA. We use the following criteria for determining the next steps in snow and ice management for a particular storm:

  • Time of year
  • Time of day
  • Weekday of storm
  • Ground temperatures
  • Air temperatures
  • Precipitation form
  • Wind speed
  • The type of commercial properties needing our snow services
  • Your expectations for snow clearing and ice management
  • And many other variables using advanced weather modeling technology.

You won’t need to remind us that there is a storm on the way—we take the initiative to take the worry and stress off your shoulders.

We provide snow and ice management services for the following commercial properties:

  • Apartment complexes
  • Flex space
  • Health care
  • HOAs
  • Industrial
  • Multi-family
  • Municipal and government
  • Office buildings
  • Office parks
  • Retail centers
  • Shopping malls.

We welcome your RFP invitation to send a bid for the upcoming year. You can contact us by calling 804-752-0052 or filling out our contact form.

BCLS Landscape Services provides property care to residential and commercial properties throughout Richmond and Central Virginia.

Sources:

Accuweather.com, Sneak-Peek of Spring Forecast before Punxsutawney Phil Emerges from His Burrow on Groundhog’s Day.

NOAA.gov, What are El Nino and La Nina?

WRIC.com, How Much Snow Will We Get This Year in Central VA?

Ibid, What Are the Chances for Snow in February and March?