Jeff Frame
@vortexjeff.bsky.social
Teaching professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Illinois. I teach weather. Posts are about weather and sometimes sports. Storm chaser. PhD, MS PSU; BS Michigan. All opinions mine.
https://vortexjeff.smugmug.com
https://vortexjeff.smugmug.com
Reposted by Jeff Frame
How cold has the #ArcticBlast been? Well, there are signs.
January 29, 2026 at 2:54 AM
How cold has the #ArcticBlast been? Well, there are signs.
That's -38C air at 500 mb moving over the Gulf Stream this weekend 👀
January 28, 2026 at 8:56 PM
That's -38C air at 500 mb moving over the Gulf Stream this weekend 👀
Reposted by Jeff Frame
100s of trucks got stuck on 100+ miles of Miss. interstates last night, and are still there! www.accuweather.com/en/winter-we...
January 28, 2026 at 5:32 PM
100s of trucks got stuck on 100+ miles of Miss. interstates last night, and are still there! www.accuweather.com/en/winter-we...
Reposted by Jeff Frame
January 28th, 1986:
On a cold morning, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart at 11:39 am EST, 73 seconds after liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Starting in the 20s, the ground temperature at liftoff was 36 degrees.
1/2
On a cold morning, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart at 11:39 am EST, 73 seconds after liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Starting in the 20s, the ground temperature at liftoff was 36 degrees.
1/2
January 28, 2026 at 1:12 PM
January 28th, 1986:
On a cold morning, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart at 11:39 am EST, 73 seconds after liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Starting in the 20s, the ground temperature at liftoff was 36 degrees.
1/2
On a cold morning, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart at 11:39 am EST, 73 seconds after liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Starting in the 20s, the ground temperature at liftoff was 36 degrees.
1/2
Reposted by Jeff Frame
Note: - Map showing the widespread #SNOW - COVER (includes sleet) across the contiguous #UnitedStates so far this #Winter Season 2025-26 via ( #NOAA )
- Map maximum DAILY SNOW-COVER so far was reached on Monday (January 26) at 56.1 PERCENT of the contiguous #USwx
#wx #wxsky
- Map maximum DAILY SNOW-COVER so far was reached on Monday (January 26) at 56.1 PERCENT of the contiguous #USwx
#wx #wxsky
January 28, 2026 at 6:07 PM
Reposted by Jeff Frame
RT @espn: UNDEFEATED NO MORE 😤
No. 3 Michigan hands No. 5 Nebraska its first loss of the season 🔥
📸: @umichbball
No. 3 Michigan hands No. 5 Nebraska its first loss of the season 🔥
📸: @umichbball
January 28, 2026 at 2:14 AM
RT @espn: UNDEFEATED NO MORE 😤
No. 3 Michigan hands No. 5 Nebraska its first loss of the season 🔥
📸: @umichbball
No. 3 Michigan hands No. 5 Nebraska its first loss of the season 🔥
📸: @umichbball
Roads in Champaign-Urbana are still snow covered this morning because normal road salt does not work at very cold temperatures
January 27, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Roads in Champaign-Urbana are still snow covered this morning because normal road salt does not work at very cold temperatures
Map of snowfall accumulation across the Midwest from the weekend winter storm
January 26, 2026 at 9:20 PM
Map of snowfall accumulation across the Midwest from the weekend winter storm
Reposted by Jeff Frame
Prelim results of the GS-1340 survey (n=146) from #AMS2026 town hall. Respondents were asked how important it is for federal mets to have coursework in ___ (on a 5-pt scale). This interactive page breaks down answers by sector. gs1340update.org/GS1340_Surve...
Spoiler alert: Synoptic won!
Spoiler alert: Synoptic won!
GS-1340 Survey - Means Analysis
gs1340update.org
January 26, 2026 at 8:12 PM
Prelim results of the GS-1340 survey (n=146) from #AMS2026 town hall. Respondents were asked how important it is for federal mets to have coursework in ___ (on a 5-pt scale). This interactive page breaks down answers by sector. gs1340update.org/GS1340_Surve...
Spoiler alert: Synoptic won!
Spoiler alert: Synoptic won!
Reposted by Jeff Frame
@nws.noaa.gov Director Ken Graham presented on NOAA’s modeling grand challenge at #AMS2026 this morning. He announced that the NWS is moving to MPAS as its modeling dynamical core, with his #1 moonshot goal being a global, fully coupled 3-km Earth prediction system using MPAS.
January 26, 2026 at 3:01 PM
@nws.noaa.gov Director Ken Graham presented on NOAA’s modeling grand challenge at #AMS2026 this morning. He announced that the NWS is moving to MPAS as its modeling dynamical core, with his #1 moonshot goal being a global, fully coupled 3-km Earth prediction system using MPAS.
Just got an email encouraging remote classes and work tomorrow.
January 26, 2026 at 12:01 AM
Just got an email encouraging remote classes and work tomorrow.
Just shoveled 5-6" snow off my Urbana, IL, driveway
January 25, 2026 at 10:31 PM
Just shoveled 5-6" snow off my Urbana, IL, driveway
Reposted by Jeff Frame
MRMS radar reflectivity & HRRR precipitation type over the last 24 hours. An absolutely massive storm
January 25, 2026 at 7:39 PM
MRMS radar reflectivity & HRRR precipitation type over the last 24 hours. An absolutely massive storm
Reposted by Jeff Frame
The NBM is awesome. But when the forecast is outside or at the edge of the ensemble envelope because of near universal model biases (and from what I've seen, that includes the AI)...well, it never had a chance, and that is why the human forecaster is still necessary.
January 25, 2026 at 6:32 PM
The NBM is awesome. But when the forecast is outside or at the edge of the ensemble envelope because of near universal model biases (and from what I've seen, that includes the AI)...well, it never had a chance, and that is why the human forecaster is still necessary.
Snow redeveloping across central Illinois as the upper trough approaches
January 25, 2026 at 5:20 PM
Snow redeveloping across central Illinois as the upper trough approaches
Getting nice aggregates in this band
January 25, 2026 at 2:41 PM
Getting nice aggregates in this band
Reposted by Jeff Frame
ILX upgrades Cold Weather Advisory to Extreme Cold Warning valid at Jan 26, 12:00 AM CST for Champaign, De Witt, Macon, Piatt, Vermilion [IL] till Jan 26, 12:00 PM CST Link
January 25, 2026 at 8:09 AM
ILX upgrades Cold Weather Advisory to Extreme Cold Warning valid at Jan 26, 12:00 AM CST for Champaign, De Witt, Macon, Piatt, Vermilion [IL] till Jan 26, 12:00 PM CST Link
The lift arrived overnight
January 25, 2026 at 1:14 PM
The lift arrived overnight
Reposted by Jeff Frame
At 10:00 PM CST, 3 SE Urbana [Champaign Co, IL] Trained Spotter reports Snow of 2.00 Inch. Still snowing at time of the report. #ilwx Link
January 25, 2026 at 4:24 AM
At 10:00 PM CST, 3 SE Urbana [Champaign Co, IL] Trained Spotter reports Snow of 2.00 Inch. Still snowing at time of the report. #ilwx Link
10pm, 3 miles SE of Urbana, IL, 2.0" snow accumulation, snow still falling at time of observation.
January 25, 2026 at 4:06 AM
10pm, 3 miles SE of Urbana, IL, 2.0" snow accumulation, snow still falling at time of observation.