From Sunglasses to Shivers: Why the Weather Has Been Giving You Whiplash
Weekend weather forecast from the teens to the to the 60s
By Jordan Murray ••
Skiing on a Thursday, but riding your bike while getting a tan by Sunday? It's all leaving us with one question: What is up with this weather?
Storm Team4 Meteorologist Sheena Parveen explained why we're seeing such dramatic dips and spikes.
The normal high temperature for this time of year is 45 degrees, yet we've been seeing unseasonably warm temperatures, with record highs in the 70s. But Thursday, temps plummeted, with a wind chill making it feel like the 20s.
A big part of this is due to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Besides the fact that this phrase will make you sound really smart if you whipped it out in the break room, there's another reason why you should remember the NAO.
Meteorologists look to the NAO to predict when arctic air in Canada is going to spill down into the Northeast, Parveen said.
Think moody teenager. When the NAO is in a positive phase, that cold air stays locked up in Canada. When it's in a negative phase, we see it reach down to us.
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Sometimes we can get some short spurts of a negative phase coming down, giving us a couple of cold days, and then we're right back into a positive phase, keeping the air locked into Canada.
Which brings us to what's been happening lately: There's has been no reason, meteorologically, for the cold air to spill back down out of Canada. Our friendly neighbors in the south have been giving us plenty of warm air moving up the coast, allowing for T-shirt weather Tuesday and Wednesday.
That cold air hasn't been coming down much from Canada, which is why those snow lovers are still mad.
Boar's Head Resort
This Four Diamond resort is complete with six treatment spa rooms, a nail salon, 26 indoor and outdoor tennis courts, four on-site restaurants, cooking classes and more. On Feb. 10, 11 and 14, the resort will offer a $359 Valentine's Day special which includes dinner for two as well as sparkling wine and strawberries.
Chesapeake Beach Resort & Spa
This waterfront resort offers a special Valentine’s Day package for the weekend of Feb. 10-12. Get away a little early and enjoy chocolate-covered strawberries and champagne, a half-dozen roses, and a resort voucher. Enjoy the spa specials, including an upper body massage and facial or a special tea tree scalp and hair treatment and paraffin wax hand treatment for men.
Chestnut Hill Bed & Breakfast
This six-bedroom inn was built in 1869 by a local tanner who one of the founding members of the Town Council in Orange, Virginia. The name came from the abundance of chestnut trees located all over the property before they were destroyed in 1910 by disease. The inn's romance package includes champagne or wine and a dozen roses available in your room when you arrive, rose petals sprinkled on the bed, a $60 gift certificate for a gourmet dinner for two at a local restaurant of your choice, a box of chocolates, full gourmet breakfast each morning served to your room and an in-room private massage for two. The package can be added to the cost of your room for an additional $295.
Historic Inns of Annapolis
The history of this boutique hotel dates back to the 18th century. Delegates of the 1783-1784 U.S. Congress stayed here when George Washington ratified the Treaty of Paris, ending the Revolutionary War, according to the inn's website -- making these properties are as American as it gets. Explore the historic district of downtown Annapolis, take romantic walks on the waterfront or just enjoy breakfast in bed with a late checkout of 2 p.m.
The Inn at Little Washington
This famed inn includes 24 bedrooms and luxury suites, some of which have balconies with lovely garden views. All reservations come with a welcome cocktail, house breakfast, afternoon tea, valet parking and and a guaranteed dining reservation for each night. You can also experience a special dinner menu on Valentine’s Day.
Lake Pointe Inn
This bed & breakfast in the Deep Creek Lake area sits on a historical farm site of the summer home and estate of Dr. James McHenry, a prominent Revolutionary War figure. Each room includes a gas fireplace, and some also feature spa tubs, private balconies and steam showers. Guests can also enjoy Swedish or hot stone therapy massages and a redwood sauna. Upon request, each room can be sprinkled with red rose petals or you can order a champagne or wine gift basket.
The Lodges at Sunset Village
Sunset Village, also located in the Deep Creek Lake area, is a close to five different ski resorts, as well as two casinos and three museums. You can also enjoy carriage and sleigh rides, dog-sledding and snowshoeing nearby. If you opt for a romantic package, you can get 10 percent off rental plus $25 off at the Pine Lodge Steakhouse. In-room couples massages are available beside the fireplace in your own cabin suite. Choose between reflexology or a Swedish, deep tissue or sports massage.
The Omni Homestead Resort
This 250-year-old Virginia mountain elegant resort offers the perfect winter weekend getaway, featuring nightly movies in the on-site theater, an extensive list of spa treatments, a fitness center, a special Valentine's Day menu. A special romantic package includes a bottle of Chandon sparkling wine delivered to your room, turndown services including robes, music and lighting, and a late checkout of 1 p.m.
Historic Rosemont Manor
Once the center of a Civil War battle, the Rosemont estate was opened to the public in 2010 for the first time in 200 years as an exclusive bed and breakfast. The sweetheart package includes discounted room rates, a bouquet of mixed seasonal flowers and a full breakfast for two served in the Rosemont Room each morning. Spa services are available, but must be arranged in advance.
Salamander Resort & Spa
From Feb. 11-14, this luxurious 340-acre resort will offer a special four-course Valentine's dinner from Executive Chef Ryan Arensdorf. Romantic packages include a $100 credit to use toward a relaxing treatment in the spa, and sparkling wine and chocolate-covered strawberries delivered to your room.
Parveen describes it as an invisible wall, holding the arctic air back -- and the wall has been pretty strong lately. In a negative phase, that wall weakens and that cold air drops down. But our moody teenager has been feeling really peppy lately, so we've been mostly getting unseasonably warm temperatures.
Parveen doesn't see much of a negative phase happening in the next 10 days either. There's a chance we'll get a few shots of cold air, mostly in the mornings, but it's looking like middle-of-February temperatures will be a little above average.
