Frankly adding that second map half refuted my nice post earlier: not much of a consensus within the GEFS, lol. Guess that’s what a blend is for, but hardly makes you confident in any outcome.
One more post before I allow myself to enjoy my New Year's Eve and not track a storm I won't be in Virginia for: the GEFS/EPS look pretty similar. If I was setting expectations and was currently in Arlington, I'd allow myself to be hopeful but take the ensemble blend and see a pretty likely outcome. YMMV.
Almost trended towards looking like a usable piece of guidance. I remember it having a cold bias previously... it and the HDRPS surely have a constant issue with overdoing banding/QPF. Noticed it in the summer too.
Making no statement on the H5/how close it is to something better: 00z actually had more snow for the DC/NOVA area than 12z. Compared to 6z, this run is pretty similar with the difference of a slightly more robust northern shield that goes thru Charlottesville and just being better organized, leading to a tighter looking/more intense snow band.
I wouldn’t get excited if I was in the tidewater, either. GFS/RGEM being the only things that show substantial accumulation is iffy, IMO. Especially how heavy it shows it and with this being a rain/snow flaky situation. Not quite sure how models resolve when the changeover occurs.
Casual 12” in 6 hours down the mouth of the Potomac verbatim. Probably a red flag, honestly. Good luck to everyone, though! Cheering you on from Puerto Rico. Would make sense if it snowed while I was away, I’m a notorious jinx.