J.Spin

I see that we’ve got some light snow falling here in Waterbury as of ~2:30 P.M.

Below is the latest BTV NWS projected accumulation map for the upcoming storm. This system has hit the threshold of impact to be named, and it’s being called Winter Storm Harper.

Event totals: 1.9” Snow/0.06” L.E. We’ve partially cleared out and there’s no snow falling, so it looks like the totals above will be the final values for this storm. Details from the 6:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.2 inches New Liquid: Trace Temperature: 4.6 F Sky: Partly Cloudy Snow at the stake: 19.0 inches

Event totals: 1.7” Snow/0.06” L.E. Details from the 12:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.4 inches New Liquid: Trace Temperature: 21.0 F Sky: Light Snow (2 to 12 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 19.0 inches

Event totals: 1.3” Snow/0.06” L.E. Details from the 6:00 P.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 1.0 inches New Liquid: 0.05 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 20.0 Snow Density: 5.0% H2O Temperature: 26.1 F Sky: Light Snow (2 to 5 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 19.0 inches

I’ve added the latest BTV NWS maps for the upcoming storm below – Winter Storm Warnings are now up just about everywhere in the area. Our point forecast suggests accumulations in the 10” to 18” range, so that seems pretty consistent with the projected accumulations map.

Event totals: 0.3” Snow/0.01” L.E. I found 0.3” of snow on the boards and light snow falling this morning from the current system affecting the area. Details from the 6:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.3 inches New Liquid: 0.01 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 30.0 Snow Density: 3.3% H2O Temperature: 18.0 F Sky: Light Snow (2 to 8 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 19.0 inches

We’re just at the initial stages leading up to the potential snow over the weekend, but I got a text early this morning indicating that our area was under a Winter Storm Watch. We’re still early for any sort of official projected accumulations maps, but from the BTV NWS website we can see that the watches are already wall to wall throughout the area:

Event totals: 0.1” Snow/Trace L.E. I wasn’t home until later in the evening to check on snow, but I only found a tenth of an inch of accumulation from yesterday’s system at our location, and it didn’t look like there had been too much accumulation in this area. Details from the 8:00 P.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.1 inches New Liquid: Trace Temperature: 16.0 F Sky: Partly Cloudy Snow at the stake: 19.0 inches

Event totals: 0.2” Snow/0.02” L.E. Details from the 8:00 P.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.2 inches New Liquid: 0.02 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 10.0 Snow Density: 10.0% H2O Temperature: 23.7 F Sky: Light Snow (1 to 3 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 20.0 inches

It’s funny, I saw a flake or two at observations time this morning, but even after only a couple of days without snow, I was already getting into the rhythm of just reporting total snowpack depth and it totally slipped my mind to get that trace down. It wasn’t until I was driving toward Burlington and the flakes became a bit more frequent that it finally clicked, so I went back and updated my observations. I haven’t seen anything too substantial here in Burlington, and certainly nothing in terms of accumulation, but we have had some flakes at times.

Event totals: 22.5” Snow/1.64” L.E. The clouds have just about cleared out here now and the snow has stopped, so that closes the books on this storm and the numbers above represent the final storm totals. In terms of snowfall, this storm has now taken the top spot for this season at our location, beating out Winter Storm Bruce from the end of November. Details from the 6:00 P.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.2 inches New Liquid: 0.01 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 20.0 Snow Density: 5.0% H2O Temperature: -1.1 F Sky: Mostly Clear Snow at the stake: 24.0 inches

Event totals: 22.5” Snow/1.64” L.E. The clouds have just about cleared out here now and the snow has stopped, so that closes the books on this storm and the numbers above represent the final storm totals. In terms of snowfall, this storm has now taken the top spot for this season at our location, beating out Winter Storm Bruce from the end of November. Details from the 6:00 P.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.2 inches New Liquid: 0.01 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 20.0 Snow Density: 5.0% H2O Temperature: -1.1 F Sky: Mostly Clear Snow at the stake: 24.0 inches

Yeah, this past storm was certainly a good extra boost. It’s actually been a while since we’ve had a decent January, but this one is doing well thus far - we’re only a third of the way through the month and this January already has seen more snowfall that any of the previous seven Januarys had in total. We’re not quite at 2007-2008 or 2008-2009 pace overall, but with this latest event this season seems like it wants to try to at least give them a run for their money.

I took a look at 72 hour totals or reported storm totals for areas that have them to get an idea of what went on for the Vermont ski areas. The north to south listing is below: Jay Peak: 27” Burke: 17” Smuggler’s Notch: 38” Bolton Valley: 30” Mad River Glen: 19” Sugarbush: 16” Bromley: 15” Stratton: 10”

Event totals: 22.3” Snow/1.63” L.E. Details from the 6:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.5 inches New Liquid: 0.02 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 25.0 Snow Density: 4.0% H2O Temperature: 8.8 F Sky: Light Snow (1 to 3 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 25.0 inches

Event totals: 22.3” Snow/1.63” L.E. Details from the 6:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.5 inches New Liquid: 0.02 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 25.0 Snow Density: 4.0% H2O Temperature: 8.8 F Sky: Light Snow (1 to 3 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 25.0 inches

Backedge is right on here, as are the others in the conversation. You want to try to catch those “maximum” accumulations before any melting, and that’s what you report to CoCoRaHS. The peak of depth indicates what really happened and is a representation of the event, but if you don’t report that, it’s as if it never really happened. Since I can’t always be home due to work, travel, etc., that’s why I specifically set up my webcam with a close-in zoom on a measurement stick. I can check in on that to know if there was any melting, settling, or whatever. Here’s a shot from my webcam today when I was monitoring this storm while at work:

Event totals: 21.8” Snow/1.61” L.E. Details from the 11:00 P.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 1.8 inches New Liquid: 0.05 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 36.0 Snow Density: 2.8% H2O Temperature: 13.5 F Sky: Light Snow (1 to 10 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 26.0 inches

Event totals: 21.8” Snow/1.61” L.E. Details from the 11:00 P.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 1.8 inches New Liquid: 0.05 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 36.0 Snow Density: 2.8% H2O Temperature: 13.5 F Sky: Light Snow (1 to 10 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 26.0 inches

Event totals: 20.0” Snow/1.56” L.E. Details from the 5:00 P.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 7.3 inches New Liquid: 0.22 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 33.2 Snow Density: 3.0% H2O Temperature: 19.6 F Sky: Heavy Snow (2 to 10 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 26.0 inches

Event totals: 20.0” Snow/1.56” L.E. In Burlington this afternoon there were bouts of snow, but when I left around 4:00 P.M. or so, it was fairly light. It continued to ramp up in intensity as I headed into the mountains – it was moderate in Williston, and already quite heavy by Richmond. That heavy snow hung right through to Bolton Flats, and I couldn’t believe it, but as I approached the pass by our house it intensified even more to the point that visibility was just a couple hundred feet. It had to be a couple inches an hour during that period, and there was no way that the plows would have been able to keep up with it. Our road had several inches of snow on it, and even in the Subaru, getting up the driveway was tough. Details from the 5:00 P.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 7.3 inches New Liquid: 0.22 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 33.2 Snow Density: 3.0% H2O Temperature: 19.6 F Sky: Heavy Snow (2 to 10 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 26.0 inches

I gave a quick Bolton update yesterday, but I’ll add a bit more and a few pictures. The wind was certainly whipping around up there, but most of the lower mountain areas were reasonably sheltered, and the trees were especially nice because it seemed like a lot of snow had settled in there. I did some depth checks in the trees and frequently found surface snow depths of 12 to 15 inches – and that was a dense 12 to 15 inches. I’m sure some of that is from a previous storm or two, but as their afternoon report yesterday, the resort was indicating 7 inches of snow. Boy did that snow do a solid job of resurfacing of the slopes. If you were on the new snow there was no touching the subsurface, and you typically sunk into the powder just a few inches anyway because of the density. I’ve got a bit more in my trip report, but you can see the fine nature of the snow grains and get a sense for some of the snow density in the images.

Event totals: 12.7” Snow/1.34” L.E. Details from the 6:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 2.8 inches New Liquid: 0.15 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 18.7 Snow Density: 5.4% H2O Temperature: 27.0 F Sky: Snow (2 to 12 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 21.0 inches

Event totals: 12.7” Snow/1.34” L.E. As PF and I were discussing, the snow density has indeed come down with the overnight snowfall. It’s now down to the ~5% H2O range, which should be excellent to top off the denser snow from the past couple of days in terms of right-side-up storm cycle for the slopes. Details from the 6:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 2.8 inches New Liquid: 0.15 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 18.7 Snow Density: 5.4% H2O Temperature: 27.0 F Sky: Snow (2 to 12 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 21.0 inches