It’s been unseasonably cool and wet for the last week or so in Wyoming, a trend that's going to continue, said meteorologist Don Day.
The reason sounds like the title of a movie that would be played on "Mystery Space Theatre 3000," but it’s an actual meteorological event called an Omega Block.
Forecasters around the country, not just Day, are talking about it.
Day said the weather pattern got its name because it looks like the Greek letter Omega.
Right now, there’s a low pressure system anchored in California, another low stuck in the northeastern United States, and a high over the northern plains of the corn belt.
And when you have an Omega Block, they don’t go anywhere. That’s why the weather has been similar here in Wyoming day after day after day.
“It means the day-to-day weather just doesn’t change very much,” Day said.
It will change eventually, but it takes awhile.
Omega Blocks happen all the time, Day said, but people don’t notice them unless they’re directly affected by them.
“If you are on the wrong side of it, a long stretch of cold weather for example, then you wonder about it,” he said.
This Omega Block will probably break up by mid-week, next week, Day said.
Axis Of Moisture
But until then, we will experience another cool phrase that Day has been using: "axis of moisture."
This is not an official weather term. It's something Day made up describing rainy weather which repeats itself, as much of Wyoming is experiencing now.
"Basically, the moisture is is backed up and staying in one spot all the time over and over," Day said. "I suppose the phrase could be a good name for a Molly Hatchet song."
Omega Pollution
So is part of the reason for the haze in the northeastern part of the U.S. connected to the Omega Block?
Mostly no, Day said.
Although the weather pattern is stagnant, it’s wildfires in Quebec that are producing the smoke and haze in New York and surrounding areas.
This is not related to the smoke which affected the Rocky Mountain states two weeks ago as that was from wildfires in Alberta.
Jimmy Orr can be reached at jimmy@cowboystatedaily.com.
