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PowellVolz

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    January 15th-17th 2024 Arctic Blast/Snow Event

    in Tennessee Valley

    Posted

    Interesting satellite imagery this afternoon. Not quite clear enough to see the snow cut off line yet, but some of the features we have talked about before, especially some leeside convergence
    1BCKro3.png
    I have outlined in magenta the approximate outline of Frozen Head/ Cross mt and High Knob. Outside the Smokies, these are the highest mountains in our area. To the lee side (downwind of the topography) you can see low level wind convergence producing plumes of clouds, what I've pointed black arrows at.
    They almost look like litt;e funnels on Infrared imagery. 
    QnZ96ID.png
    Because this is only a 2D image, I can't tell if the spreading out is lift, the mountains blocking the flow, or a combo of the two. 
     
    Here's a gif so you can see it in motion:
    giphy.gif
    Also notice how the Smokies kind of shunt the flow toward lower peaks on either side. 
     
     
     
    Finally, even though eastern areas haven't cleared out yet, here is an absolutely gorgeous mesoscale floater look at the TN Valley:
    qEtZHRv.png
     

    Great post as always….

    IMO this is the biggest reason why the Central Valley doesn’t have more tornadoes when you have cells traveling SW-NE. A south to SE low level wind gets disrupted because of the southern valley mountains. It’s why I’ve said before that cells moving east or SE has more of an opportunity to rotate because NE low level winds give you enough degree of intercept.


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