A combination of an intense jet stream flow coupled with an unusually warm Gulf of Mexico lead to an unusually intense tornado outbreak in the Southeast U.S. on March 3rd.

Using weekly gas population weight heating degree day anomalies the coldest weeks of the 2018-19 cold season occurred early (November) and late (March).

The next "polar vortex" emerging next week is in the troposhere caused by stratospheric warming aloft (unlike the last cold burst in early February).

There is a unique set of circumstances leading to a jet stream speed nearly double the normal value on february 17-18 helping to propel a Norwegian Boeing 787 flight speed of 801 mph.