cleetussnow

40 minutes ago, rochesterdave said:

My 4Runner has a center locker and limited slip in the rear. The A-TRAC System simulates a locked rear by applying brakes to the slipping rear tire. Pretty effective from what I hear. I’m just afraid that I’m limiting my potential by having these cheese ass tires. 
who knows, they might surprise me. 
it’s kinda fun to get into the nuts and bolts of how these vehicles work. I did not know Nissan had a locker on the xterra. Cool

I don’t know if all xterras have it.  It’s a pro 4 x, the last model year xterra. I used it once in a snowbank.  The trick is you have to have it on before you get into the problem area.  It went over the bank like nothing.  

I have to look and see what the ram situation is.  It might be limited slip or some other thing.  All I know is that when you turn with the 4wd on it will buck if has it has too much grip.  Seems like a locker.  

My wife has continental terraincontact A/T on her Xterra Pro 4 x. https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Continental&tireModel=TerrainContact+A%2FT&partnum=77SR8TCATOWL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&autoMake=RAM&autoYear=2017&autoModel=2500 4WD Crew Cab&autoModClar=LT275%2F70-18 or LT285%2F60-20

i found them to quiet on the highway and nothing has stopped it whether it’s mud or snow.  AT tires usually suck at something and good at everything else.  These are good at everything.  This truck also has a rear locking diff and really matters.  

I have a Ram 2500 with the standard transforce highway tire.  Everyone says they suck and they might in fact suck, but they are good on the highway and I haven’t had any issues with the 4wd on so far.  I tow a snowmobile trailer up by the tug so I’ve seen some crap.  I am thinking once the front wheels are engaged all the engine weight and cab weight make up for marginal tires.  I am tempted to get the continentals.  I need 2 new tires and it’s cheaper to put the transforce back on instead of a set of 4 new continental tires.  

I wonder which vehicle  is the better as a snow chase vehicle. The xterra is pretty insane 4wd with the lockers especially. It’s light and maneuverable. The ram has a much higher clearance and is very very planted and gives confidence. But if the ram goes off the road somehow, it could be 7500lb problem. 

Hmmm.  No matter what these vehicles are pretty able.  I got some ideas about testing them.

30 minutes ago, mahk_webstah said:

I had a weather radio that broadcast nws forecasts.  They would give a little discussion then the forecast.  Then the marine forecast.  I can hear the crackly voice...”from manasquan inlet to cape henelopen and 40 miles offshore...”

My parents had a CB radio base station with that.  TWC replaced it.  Both were the soundtrack of many winters. 

I used to love the TWC crawler on the local on the 8s. Also when you saw *s all over there was trouble.  The crawler I think was NWS advisories etc.  YouTube has a bunch.  One time I DVRd an hour of TWC during a winter storm, and saved it for April Fools.  I turned on the DVR and left the room and waited until the family got worked up.  

we got a similar thread discussion down NY metro forum. 

Obs here: 32, winds calm.  

this is a great thread.  

One storm I wish I had a chance to see is that lake effect storm out in western NY in November 2016.  60 inches in spots!  We all saw the pictures.  The threads from that storm were unreal.  I love synoptic snows, but you cannot deny 5 feet!  even if its fake ;-)  

2 hours ago, kat5hurricane said:

'14-'15 was a lot like that too in the second half particularly. Lots of moderate 4-8 type events but consistent cold keeping the snowpack with what seemed like weekly snow events keeping the pack intact and fresh. That was my favourite winter simply because it was endless winter. '10-'11 had the massive storms but the snowpacks were short lived.

February 2006 might have been my favourite storm because the thundersnow was so intense and long lasting, never seen anything like it before or after. PDIi for the long duration and bitter cold is high up on the list too. So many others over the last 25 years that can be included as well. The '96 Blizzards, Boxing Day, Jan 2016 etc. We've been spoiled big time, a Golden Era of snow this century. I expect a regression to the mean eventually with some relatively snowless winters like last year for instance. 

My first encounter with thundersnow - I thought for sure it would be my last and only experience with it. It was in upstate NY, I think around New Years in 2003(?).  There was a 2 part storm with rain and ice in round one, and then a 15 inch snowfall when the storm hit the coast, so I am thinking it was a Miller B.  I chalked up the thunder and lightening to the rainstorm lifting out and figured its a once in a lifetime deal.  

Since then, I probably experienced it 3 times, 2006 and 2016 certainly, and one time out snowmobiling in the adirondaks in the middle of the night, probably in 2007.  That was WEIRD.  My son and I were trying to get back in town before this particular storm got too ugly, but as we came out of the higher terrain the snow turned to rain and sleet and the skies were lighting up.  He was 10 and freaking out for all the right reasons - Dark, cold, scary weather and alone!  We made it.  

I don't recall thundersnow in 93 or 96 but there must have been, and I could have chalked it up to any number of other things, like a plow truck or a transforming blowing somewhere.    

59 minutes ago, JustinRP37 said:

Should we open a nostalgia thread? haha j/k

Was thinking that.  Hmm

1 hour ago, White Gorilla said:

A triple phaser.  The players making this happen must have been very prominent for the models to have picked up the solution of a historic storm so far in advance.  

Yep.  The thing had a gulf connection all the way to Maine, too.  

(Referring to 93,  meant to quote weatherproof)

That was a well modeled storm...thinking it was brewing for 4 or 5 days in the media.  Unusual for the time.  

38 minutes ago, weatherpruf said:

Feb 2003, Feb,. 2006,Dec 2010, Jan 2011, Jan 2016....more times than the 70's. 80's and 90's combined....so it does happen even in my local snow hole....in addition, we had near misses in Jan 2015 and Feb 2013 and March 2017 and 2018...

Forgot about feb 2006.  That was the only major storm that winter IIRC.  I got 25 in Westchester.  Really powdery, and it should be on the top 3 list but...

January 96 

January 2016

I was upstate for ‘93.  From where I was sitting, that was the grandaddy of them all.  And I am OK with never seeing anything like it again. 3 feet of snow and 50 MPH wind.  The kids won’t understand, but you could pick up a newspaper and read about this storm that was in Georgia on its way north a couple days later.  It felt like Godzilla was coming!  Nowhere to hide.  

Just now, doncat said:

If I recall correctly, the March 2001 storm wasn't a rain bust but a too far East development for snow bust...at least for more western locations. I remember listening to one of the accuwx mets saying how the storm would be moving west closer to the coast...and I kept looking at radar saying no it wont.

I thought the thing right over our heads?  (NYC that is).  I checked some historical maps - it looks like 2 frames (12 hours), the 850 low was right over NYC before it moved east.  Then it looked like it hugged the coast of LI - way too close to draw in the cold.  Upstate NY got smoked ala superstorm.  The storm whose name I shall not say...

 There should be 'worst bust' contest.  I imagine it would come down to between March 2001 and '15.  At least it snow some in '15.  Maybe not everyone was around in 2001 to recall it, but the city went from 20 inches+ forecast to bupkis...all rain.  Some people cashed in big in both storms, just not anywhere near where they were supposed to.   

Radar returns are unimpressive.  I’d say we are close to done up here in central Westchester.  Dry slotted.  Wet 2.5 inches here is all.

Interesting storm, but overall the models struggled at best.  

Light mist 33 right now.  

45 minutes ago, DeltaT13 said:

This forum has been chasing straight fantasy storms for the past couple weeks, like much worse than usual.  It was that early season snow storm that gave everyone the itch.  Now we are chasing storms 384 hours out.  It's a fools errand but mostly harmless if we keep our expectations in check. 

Storm number 2 (the 12/2) system has been holding serve and trending better as of late, so I'm starting to be intrigued.  

Well the cold offered hope and lent credence to the fantasy storms...we don't like to waste the cold.

I like the dec. 2 event.  Fade the GFS per usual, blend the Ukie and Euro, and look for gem or something else and that this range, upstate (somewhere) looks good right now.  I think there is more wiggle with this possible event for upstate NY than other coastal areas.  I'd put a pin near Syracuse.

 Full disclosure, i have a camp in old forge so I am a bit bias.  

14 minutes ago, ORH_wxman said:

Can't see precip of course, but Ukie upper levels and sfc would suggest an SNE crushing

 

I’m way more interested in a Euro/Ukie blend than a gfs/euro blend.  The ukie needs more respect than it’s getting.  The GFS seems be a default model since it’s so easy to access for many, but it’s performance is poor.  At least people are fading the gfs and I think the ukie supports the “fade the gfs” idea so far.