Meteorologists: More snow early in season

By SHERI McWHIRTER
smcwhirter@record-eagle.com

November 20, 2008 12:00 am

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GAYLORD -- The front end of winter likely will be a doozy, forecasters say.

Weather patterns tended to bring more gentle starts to recent winters and that's about to change, said meteorologist Keith Berger, of the National Weather Service in Gaylord.

Long-term weather predictions and research show local winter weather may be front-loaded this season, he said.

"The last couple of years we've had a mild start to winter and more snow in the latter half, but it looks like it might switch that this year," Berger said.

The region's first dose of snow came during the weekend and made for treacherous driving conditions during morning rush hours early in the week. Some places, such as Kalkaska, recorded as much as nine inches of snow by mid-week.

Mother Nature has more in store, Berger said.

"What we're thinking it's going to look like is the first part of winter will be a touch on the cooler side with a good amount of snow, maybe slightly above normal," he said. "The last half of winter may be more mild, from mid- to late-January through February and March, it may be less snowy and a bit above normal temperatures."

In the immediate forecast, a wintery pattern will continue through Friday due to an Alberta clipper blowing through the region. That will reinforce cold temperatures and snowfall with northwesterly winds off of Lake Michigan, Berger said.