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Twitter drama was beyond stupid Saturday. That's why I prefer American Wx (Tenn region) another more heavily moderated form, and some niche Discord channels. Twitter auto-censor jailed anyone for writing Memphis. How?! Texas Panhandle actually had a very good day. It was predictable and mostly chasable; except, most of those fools don't know what their doing. Anyone chasing alone, that's a key indicator of stupid. No situational awareness and/or very dangerous distracted driver. Why predictable? Dry line intersections with both the warm front and differential heating boundary went tornado. WF was the Canadian TX twins. Diffy heating boundary acted as an outflow boundary, and produced the Happy wedge. Then other more photogenetic tornadoes were documented in between. Should have been easy! Back to Banter. Brackets could allow a Tennessee vs Kansas national championship game! Both teams are inconsistent shooting from the field (clutch or brick) and are inconsistent on defense (suffocating or soft). Kansas does not have our taller inside guy this weekend, not good.

I was thinking Deep South MCS wash-out. Just heavy rain Tennessee. That's ugly to storm chasers, lol. OK getting, serious, beyond hyper-cynical dripping-sarcasm Jeff, the wind fields are there. 700 mb Ts* are just right (not too warm cap, not necessary widespread rain) however the ECMWF is showing just that type of rain. Deep South goes slop-fest, which cuts off LLJ into Tenn. If you fear severe, all that is good stable news Tennessee. I infer caution from MRX. Does not sound like they are sounding alarm bells even internal. Any media hype is total trash. Something interesting for severe wx enthusiasts to track. However it'll probably bust. *I use 700 mb Ts to cross check instability this time of year. Five days out is awful early to use forecast temperature soundings. Winds like VBV can be used for the same reason we look at constant pressure charts (850/700/500 etc). ANSWER to BELOW: Chattanooga Easter 2020 tornado was within two miles, at Midnight. Even storm chasers don't like that crap!

Models have converged in the last 36 hours of runs. Did you see the GFS/EC divergence Monday? SPC just refused to add Monday. Plains snobs dissin' Dixie, lol! However Monday does have problems. Trough ejecting north, pulling away the best kinematics. Also instability is meh, but that's March. Also if the LLJ does try to recover with the southern-stream short wave, Monday will go. Wednesday is a possibility too, but will focus on Monday now. After next week looks like a quiet period. Ensembles and weeklies BN temps Southeast but warm North. That says, wake me up after the Final Four. I'll stay up if Kansas or Tennessee do well, lol!

You read an old fashioned hard copy book, lol! Oh that's to my EV post. I'm already thinking about severe wx, ha! If one can't charge their EV it's a blessing in disguise. Saves one a frustrating Dixie Alley, tree-filled, hill-blocked, low-visibility, rain-wrapped storm chase. Seriously, my main EV post and link is cheer leading TVA and surrounding Utilities. When a Company picks a location for a new factory or facility, they really do ask about the power generation mix. Of course they want reliable power too. The Southeast has cheap reliable power, which attracts industry and jobs.

Time to tee it up! Just kidding, gotta do the basketball March Madness first. Monday could be a thing in the Tennessee Valley iff everything happens just right - which is not progged attm. SPC gives us a mention for Monday but no graphic. LLJ may be quickly weakening as main kinematic and short-wave energy ejects north into Hoosier Alley, which looks too stable. Still be the boundary will be here and wind at / above 500 mb, but that's junk without a proper LLJ. Looks like a cool period starting middle to late next week after the main trough and all the surface lows. Then late March is anybody's game.

Dixie Alley is going to become easier to chase in an electric vehicle EV. Despite all the obstacles like trees, hills and poor visibility (even in the daytime) Dixie just got 100% more attractive. Pros went from 1. no chaser crowd to 2. EV friendly soon. TVA and neighboring Utilities started the Electric Highway Coalition. Includes the entire Southeast, and goes from parts of Texas to the Mid-Atlantic, plus parts of Hoosier Alley. Cheers to chasing Dixie Alley in an EV! In all seriousness, the Electric Highway Coalition should attract more employers and jobs, promoting economic health in the region. https://www.tva.com/newsroom/press-releases/electric-highway-coalition

Weekend was interesting along an east-west boundary. Thankfully it' didn't March 2-3, 2020 again. Mid-Range the weekly models have shown that trough west with low SER look mid-month; and, operational models are similar now in the 11-15 day period. Weeks 2-3 are the edge of any forecast value; but, it's nice they agree. Forecast AO/NAO is positive. Bering Sea ridge (not Alaska) could anchor the downstream Rockies to Plains trough. Get thunderstorms going Mid-South to Ohio Valley? Severe Season overall I'm somewhat bullish, but not crazy lit. I see La Nina hanging in there. It's not a pure La Nina resurgence since it's still first year, but it has that bullish lean for severe. Recent MJO activity and Kelvin wave placement in the Tropical Pacific has juiced the La Nina status (esp 3.4 region). +TNI is in question. Right off South America (region 1&2) is still cool. It had been warning up; but, the said activity impacted the whole basin. If 1&2 can warm to near or above normal, while 3.4 stays cooler than normal, then we have +TNI flavor. Either are bullish. Missing one should not be bearish if the other holds. Finally got a chance to compare La Nina flavors, and I think this year is closer to 2012 and 2008 than 2011. The latter was a true resurgent La Nina second year, strongest correlation with severe; but, we are still first year. However 2021 looks more active than 2017 or 2018, weaker or weakening La Ninas. 2021 is La Nina hanging in, not technically resurgent, but holding well.

Following up on John's post top of this page, the temp profiles do look good Friday Feb. 26 along/north of I-40 and possibly just south of that. Just need the system to actually happen and track that way. 12Z EC lost it, what a shock, but the GFS has it most runs. 00Z EC has it and both EPS runs have the system. First and most importantly, it's not an ice profile. 850 zero line is south of surface freezing. Partial thickness cross check verifies; 850-700 mb key line is at/below the 540 dm 1000-500 mb thickness. The 700 mb temps are ideal around -6C in the forecast area. Both the latter are excellent cross checks of each other, and just 850/surface Ts. Even this late in the season a degree or two above freezing surface works with those nice 850-700 mb partial thicknesses. Usually that partial is just north of the full 1000-500, but this time they are on top of each other (bullish snow). It is a little early to use partial thickness and soundings; however, it's nice when the models at least starts them in a better place. For once I have the time to talk about a system. Also I'm eyeing a NC ski day, to be honest.

Resurgent La Nina tends to be nearly as bullish as +TNI for severe. If they both happen, even I might get tired of severe weather. Nah!

Glad to see literally dozens of new faces on the Forum. Helps to get snow in Memphis and the entire Mid-South, North Alabama and Middle Tennessee including Nashville. Chattanooga had sleet toward 10 pm Wed. Feb. 17. Light sleet continued mixed with light rain I'm guessing until around Midnight (back-cast not direct ob) perhaps as late as 3am. Enough was left in the morning to be observed on some roofs, the grill and deck. Not an impressive observation, especially since KCHA was above freezing for most of the event, but figured I'd log it for posterity. New members, please stick around.

Wow I did not realize that. Especially the Rupp stats. Kentucky, Kansas and Duke are all in a world of hurt this year. Blue bloods are bleeding out, lol! At least you got snow up there. Congrats!

Wow that's an impressive collection of Tennessee gear from model planes to a car! Hope is alive and well with the basketball program. Vols are my Final Four team. I don't see Kansas past the first weekend. Meanwhile the KC Chiefs lose and the weather systems keep cutting. One year ago with the Chattanooga Saturday snow and the Chiefs win. What a difference a year makes. Guess look forward to Tennessee in March and severe weather in April.

ICON model gets the Upper Plateau with accumulation too. It'll be cold enough at the surface all models. Thickness is low enough all models. See what the afternoon package says about the Plateau. Nashville unfortunately is victim of the stubborn boundary layer, but could still pull off sticking snow if a heavier bust. Issue is easterly wind downslope off the Plateau and some partial thickness issues which reflect the problem. A slightly stronger comma head would overcome for at least a dusting Nashville. Knoxville faces the dreaded warm Valley boundary layer early; but relative to Nashville, may have more time in QPF while cold enough. Not thinking much for Chattanooga though. (Thanks John trying to help though, lol.) On a positive, I think I like the system for northeast Tennessee into Virginia, and of course the Mountains. Maybe MRX yes TRI. Will have some Valley warm nose (partial thickness) issues mid-system, but should end cold with accumulating snow.

Thank you @Uncle Nasty for the reports around town (Chattanooga). Dusting stuck in East Brainerd shortly after dawn, but it's gone. Sadly I missed the snowburst due to a work call and helping prep kid for school. Just been light snow showers or flurries since then. I didn't bother with a photo. Dusting was only some grass, some roofs and metal. Less than a complete covering. Dalton, GA did better per Shocker0 pic. Also looks like Bradley Co. (Colhutta TN) south of Cleveland, Tenn. got around an inch near the TN/GA border per LSR. PS. For y'all at elevation and/or northeast, yes a little more is forecast tonight with another (weaker) wave in the flow.

Good point. I ask if as much snow as the Christmas event. Due to temps this should be more impactful either way. Plus it's not a holiday. Cancel school! Wait it's already at home. Still this is going to be more trouble due to the cold temps.

Monday and Tuesday snow event is going to be very interesting, even just vicariously through Plateau and northeast reports. Mountains gonna get hammered. Snowfall map above respects the terrain because this is a classic NWFS event. Stiff NW wind will leverage upslope areas but downslope shadows will be sharp. JC will do a lot better than Kingsport. Maybe next synoptic system? I'd still have some sticking in Knoxville, even if not accumulating much. Oak Ridge is unfortunately a little more in the Plateau lee snow shadow, but should see flakes. Don't ask about Chattanooga, please lol! The forecast soundings really intriguing to me. Deep cold nearly saturated air is forecast low levels and mid-levels through Monday, much of it a prime DGZ too. In fact up to 500 mph is moist early Monday. Moisture is less deep Monday night, but that's plenty for the mountains to get pounded and Plateau / Virginia to keep snowing. The DGZ is a little lower than typical in the sounding, which is actually favorable in this orographic event. Could it beat Christmas some areas? Like storm chasers talk about ground scraping mesos, looks like a ground scraping DGZ is forecast. Have fun!

Next couple snow chances are covered well above and previous page. I refer to Monday/Tuesday and again sometime late next weekend or early next week, favored areas only - not here in southeast Tenn. In between Thu/Fri looks mostly rain. I'll post about Mon/Tue Feb. 1-2 in its Obs thread shortly. Figured I'd add some good news on the teleconnection and MJO front for the 10-20 day. First the MJO convection is actually making a move toward the dateline. Couple days ago there was chatter the convection might not follow the Kelvin Wave, which would be such a slap in the face. Still not guaranteed this moderate La Nina; however, it's looking better on satellite. Convection is also north of the equator which is more encouraging than just south (where it can whiff). So fingers crossed on friendly MJO progression. Global wind is also elevated, which is opposite the typical La Nina signal. Helps a little with the convection evolution. Also +global wind in February is cold around here (one of the few winter months it's not mild). Might be why the SER forecast thankfully struggles in the 11-15 day. Global background state is more friendly for snow here. Now we need a region wide system. Can we be clutch or do we choke? I'm hoping February clutch time baby!

It's the weekend! Well, it's that weekend the SEC Big 12 Challenge. Saturday Tennessee hosts Kansas at 6pm Eastern. Should be a good game. I predict Tennessee wins at home. Enjoy! In other news the KC Chiefs are in the Superbowl. Analog last year has a bowling ball snow event in southeast Tennessee, oh one can dream of both victories!

The flashes of lightning and the sounds of thunder Monday evening were particularly sweet! I feel like last thunder was early this fall, creating a longer than usual wait. Also... First thunder after the new year is always nice; but, I felt extra content this year. Almost a feeling of peace, tbh. Why those descriptions? It has been a trying ten and a half months so far with the pandemic, damaging tornadoes* and not chasing much last year. Lightning and thunder felt like a preview of a possibly (hopefully likely) more normal spring and summer. *While I'm interested in severe, high impact tornadoes are a turn-off. I'm hoping spring 2021 offers safe chase days in Dixie, and a Plains season later. For some thunder Monday brought snow Wednesday! Does that count? Anyway we are flexible on severe wx. Birmingham tornado was late and nobody was watching. By morning Twitter had it. Then TLH is Southeast. If it's not middle of the night we'll talk about North Alabama, most of Mississippi and southern Kentucky. Huntsville and Muscle Shoals, AL are definitely Tennessee Valley. We sometimes go as far west as the Delta and south as Birmingham.

We occasionally discuss severe as far south as Birmingham over in the Tennessee Valley region. We also discuss Mississippi sometimes as far south as Jackson. Tenn Valley region on this forum is more broad than the literal river valley. Typically we leave Atlanta to this Southeast region, but we'll talk North Georgia in the Tennessee Valley region since it's right up on southeast Tenn. Atlanta has enough members to typically generate discussion here in Southeast. Huntsville and Muscle Shoals, AL are discussed well in Tennessee Valley, for those North Alabama severe days. Rest of Alabama and Mississippi kind of depends on where the center of the threat is forecast. Safe but exciting spring to all!

Well that was interesting. First John is right the tail end was mostly under radar. Interesting system had a deep DGZ (dendrite growth zone, on sounding) which was closer to the ground late. Speaking of that rich DGZ, it was ideal across Kentucky and northwest Tenn. Sounding was nearly saturated at temps between -10 and -20 from around 700 mb up through 500 mb IIRC; I just remember it was rich. Didn't look too hard since Chatty was out, but I quickly double checked after seeing those half-dollar flakes out west. 850/700 mb were the cold side but still ideal. 500 mb was that -23C maximum production temp. It was a textbook DGZ beautiful... Until what started out looking like an over-achiever outran the low level cold air. Low level CAA had surprised me into Nashville. Of course it could not make it over the Plateau. Of course downslope was fierce in the Great Valley. DGZ followed the wave aloft, but was wasted on a warm boundary layer. Oh Kingsport, welcome to Chattanooga pain! I'm guessing Johnson City on the other side did a little better overnight, unless moisture departed too quickly. Any JC reports? MRX discussion says it well. So the CAA was great west of the Plateau but pressure rises (wind direction too) hurt east. So it's always a zero sum game in the South? Be nice to get a region wide win.

I bet the skiing today is electric! Note there's no lightning this afternoon so it's safe to make silly puns - plus ski and ride. Support our local ski areas if you can. Original video is previous page. Thundersnow rocks!

The warm sector had entered Middle Tennessee. January thunder is nice, especially if February snow follows it, haha. Figure they'll keep the Marginal. Instability is there, though modest. Despite some warm air in the sounding, there's SRH and low LCLs - Dixie Alley things, lol!

Yes the WPO is there by Day 10. Still have a Western US trough though. Actually I trust Day 10 a lot more than Day 14. Anyway we'll look for progression WPO to EPO and get that west trough over here into Feb. Might be after the 5th of Feb. Fingers crossed.

1. Late week snow looks like a Plateau to Northeast Tennessee special, with the Mountains too, most of it post frontal. Of course that is a non-starter southern Tenn. 2. Per satellite, MJO is trying to nudge into colder phase 7, but it's a fine line because phase 6 becomes less cold late January and mild in February. Then some EPS members trying to go phase 8 by Day 14, which would firmly settle the issue - huge iff there at the end of the forecast period. 3. Atlantic side blocking and occasional Scandinavia ridging continues, delivering cold to Europe. Alaska ridge is still AWOL for at least 10 days with a trough West. Some ensembles hint at the trough moving east toward Day 14, replaced with AN heights West. That's the unreliable end of the forecast though. 4. Still had that strato warming about a month ago now. Statistical correlation is highest Europe, second highest Asia, and actually pretty low North America. However NA can get a delayed reaction, causation is debatable though in a blocky environment anyway.