Arctic Oscillation

Arctic Oscillation! What.............This is the term I heard on the news yesterday for all of the crazy weather throughout the US. I can honestly say I have never ever heard this before! This is why we here in Zion National Park are not getting our usual snowfall. And........unfortunately the folks in Cordova, Alaska are getting dumped on!

I tried to google and yahoo the definition so I could understand it better in "zion girl" terms, but really? My favorite go to is Wikipedia and I couldn't even understand the first two sentences here. What the heck is Arctic Oscillation?

Here is a great explanation and oh.........the above photo is that of the record snowfall they are continuing to get in Cordova.

Arctic Oscillation..........ok, now I just like saying my new found term!

Definition that a "zion girl" can understand:

The record snowfall is the result of two atmospheric patterns "that are conspiring to send an unending series of storms into Alaska," said Jeff Masters, a meteorologist who runs Weather Underground, a meteorology service that tracks strange and extreme weather.
For the second winter in a row, the Pacific weather phenomenon known as La Nina is affecting the weather. But instead of plentiful snow in the Lower 48, Alaska is getting slammed because of the second weather pattern.

That's called the Arctic Oscillation and it has been strong this year, changing air patterns to the south and keeping the coldest winter air locked up in the Arctic.

I'm still not quite sure what this means for us here in Zion National Park yet, but.......I am still hoping and praying that we will still see some snow ! I have new snow boots for heaven's sake!

And thank you Jeff Masters at Weather Underground!