Arctic Express -- All Aboard

Rather you want to or not, many reading this blog will be taking a ride on the Arctic Express this week.

In Meteorology, there are so many descriptive sayings for various weather patterns. One is the Arctic Express -- often used when the jet stream flows straight from northwest Canada and Alaska right into the heart of the lower 48 states.

This upper level wind pattern typically brings bitterly cold air to the states. The pattern is most common during winter.

Another "express" we sometimes see is the Pineapple Express. This is when a long fetch of moisture stretches from Hawaii right into the west coast of the United States.

Since the moisture has origins in Hawaii, it is nicknamed the Pineapple Express.