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January 31-February 2 Historic Winter Storm part 9


MidwestChaser

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PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN

451 PM EST TUE FEB 01 2011

.TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON

.DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.

..REMARKS..

0450 PM HEAVY SLEET FRANKFORT 40.28N 86.51W

02/01/2011 M3.00 INCH CLINTON IN TRAINED SPOTTER

WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS DUE TO SLEET.

axesmiley.png

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Fair enough.

The ultimate thing that will make or break the forecast around here will be how consistent the snowfall rates are. We would need non-stop 1" per hour rates to reach in excess of 9 inches in such a short period of time (6-9 hours). While plausible, we also have to take note of our climo when considering the possibility, and our typical winter storms normally don't produces rates that high for so long.

Flake size (ratios) will also be improtant too. It's going to be even harder to reach 9"+ withteh strong winds and the potential for riming.

Totally agree with that and really it is semantics as with the wind expected it will be bad either way.....it will be interesting watching the flake size as you could have either a collision and coalescence helping the snowflake production or with the shear there may not be enough residence time in the cloud for the larger flakes....will be fun to watch either way.

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Do you have just pure sleet or mix of sleet and other stuff?

All sleet right now.

Also for those in the LOT southern CWA, gives some credence to the mix line moving north quickly.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL

354 PM CST TUE FEB 01 2011

..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...

..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....

..REMARKS..

0345 PM BLIZZARD ESE PAXTON 40.46N 88.10W

02/01/2011 FORD IL TRAINED SPOTTER

EXTREME BLOWING SNOW. HEAVY SNOW. VISIBILITY DOWN TO 100

YARDS OR LESS. BEGAN AS SNOW NOW SLEET OR FREEZING RAIN.

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Looks like I have 30-40 miles of wiggle room before I give up ALL hope. (Sleet + Dry slot = far less significant snowfall).

Kind-of unrelated, but I'm interested in the lake potential tomorrow. Could put down a few inches. :)

Should have stayed here for the sleet. It's a sight to behold. :devilsmiley:

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Anybody from my old stomping grounds up in the SE Michigan area? I live in the Baltimore area now,but I have a lot of family in the Ann Arbor area. Hoping to hear some play by play of the BLIZZARD there :popcorn:

Plenty of us here! You will get some play by play. We have a true blizzard coming. Im a little disappointed that the total snowfall has gone down a little, thus probably not cracking a top 5 storm, but that comes at the price of the storm being more ferocious. (A true blizzard cant have high ratios, as we were envisioning would be the case a few days ago).

To any debbie downers in SE MI. My advice. First of all, this is not a run of the mill storm. No way, no how. This is a blizzard, something many of you claimed to be dying for. Yes, qpf went down some, but the reality is we wont be seeing great snow ratios BECAUSE its a blizzard. A few days ago we questioned some awesome runs of the NAM and assumed 15-20:1 ratios because of the temps. However at the time, winds didnt look so strong. Now qpf went DOWN but the potential for thundersnow and blizzard conditioins went UP. Im sure some would complain at 15" of long-duration, fluffy, calm-wind snowfall for not being intense, just as they will complain at a blizzard for not having great ratios. But seriously, we are starting with a 6-8" snowpack and will be adding probably 8-13" to it plus insane drifts. Try to enjoy the storm!

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI

411 PM EST TUE FEB 1 2011

STORM TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON

LATEST REMOTE SENSING AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONAL EVIDENCE DEPICTS A

STRONG LOW PRESSURE BAROCLINIC SYSTEM LIFTING NORTHWARD THROUGH THE

MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY. THE EVOLUTION OF THIS SYSTEM THROUGH EARLY

THIS AFTERNOON DOES NOT SERIOUSLY CONFLICT WITH EARLIER

FORECAST/WARNINGS FOR THE IMPENDING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS SET TO

IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN.

THIS EVENING.

ECMWF/GFS/GEM ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT DEEPENING PROCESS OF

MIDLEVEL BAROCLINIC SYSTEM WILL CEASE SHORTLY AROUND 6Z OVER

PORTIONS OF IL AND IN. AFTERWARDS...MODELS DEPICT A SLIGHT

UNRAVELING OR SHIFT EASTWARD OF MIDLEVEL VORTICITY AND 500 MB

GEOPOTENTIAL HEIGHT FIELD. AT ANY RATE...THIS DEEPENING INTO THE

EVENING WILL BE ENOUGH TO SURGE THE MIDLEVEL EXTENSION OF THE WARM

FRONT/DEFORMATION AXIS NORTHWARD INTO THE CWA. IT IS ALONG AND

IMMEDIATELY WITHIN THE NORTH WALL OF THE TROWAL THAT THE HEAVIER

SNOW RATES WILL FLOOD INTO THE REGION. DRY AIR SUB 5 KFT IN KDTX 18Z

SPECIAL RAOB AND CONSENSUS OF MODEL TIMING SUGGESTS THAT SNOW WILL

BEGIN ACROSS LENAWEE AND MONROE COUNTIES AT/AROUND 00Z. LATEST

CONSENSUS TIMING OF 1-3 INCH PER HR RATES IS SET FOR THE FAR

SOUTHERN CWA AT/AROUND 05Z. THESE RATES WILL BE SUPPORTED PER STRONG

FGEN/DEFORMATION AND LOW STATIC STABILITY ABOVE 800-700MB. SNOWFALL

AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT OF ROUGHLY 3 TO 5

INCHES SOUTH OF M 59...AND ROUGHLY 1 TO 3 INCHES BETWEEN M 46 AND M

59.

OVERNIGHT.

THE SIGNIFICANT WOBBLE OF THE PV ANOMALY IS WELL FORECASTED TO TAKE

THE HEART OF CYCLONIC VORTICITY ADVECTION AND ASSOCIATED HEIGHT FALL

BULLSEYE IMMEDIATELY SOUTH AND EAST OF THE CWA DURING THE 6-9Z

TIMEFRAME. THIS IS ALSO IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE RAPID EASTWARD

TRANSLATION OF A TONGUE OF -1 TO 1C AIR BETWEEN 900-800MB THAT WILL

CARRY THROUGH THE FAR SOUTHEASTERN COUNTIES. WHILE THIS THETA E

RIBBON AND MOST INTENSE 295 K ISENTROPIC LIFT IS LARGELY EXPECTED TO

MISS THE CWA...THE FAR SOUTHERN CWA IS EXPECTED TO WITNESS A

SUBSTANTIAL WARM LAYER IN THE -4 TO -2 C RANGE. THIS IS A FAVORABLE

THERMAL PROFILE FOR THE RIMING OF SNOWFLAKES IN THE PRESENCE OF A

STRONG UVV RESPONSE AND SUPERSATURATION OF SUPERCOOLED WATER

DROPLETS. SO IN THE RELATIVE SENSE....A LIMITING FACTOR TONIGHT FOR

EVEN GREATER SNOWFALL TOTALS WILL BE LOW SNOW RATIOS (9:1 TO 11:1)

GENERALLY SOUTH OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE IRISH HILLS.

FROM THE HIGHER TERRAIN NORTHWARD...SNOW RATIOS ARE EXPECTED TO

AVERAGE 12:1 TO 13:1. MODEL GUIDANCE HAS TRENDED TOWARDS A SOLUTION

THAT BRINGS LONGER DURATION OF THE DEFORMATION AXIS/TROWAL ACROSS

THE I 69 AND M 46 CORRIDORS TONIGHT. GIVEN THE RAPID PACE OF THE

SYSTEM MOTION TODAY ON SATELLITE IMAGERY...FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THIS

ZONE OF HIGHER UVV/S WILL SURGE INTO THIS REGION BEFORE WEAKENING

APPRECIABLY. THUS...HAVE SHIFTED THE GREATER FORECASTED AMOUNTS

NORTHWARD BETWEEN SAGINAW AND I 69. IT IS IMPORTANT TO STATE THAT IN

STRONGER WIND EVENTS SUCH AS THIS BLIZZARD WARNING...IT IS DIFFICULT

TO GET SNOW RATIOS MUCH HIGHER THAN 12:1 TO 14:1 BECAUSE OF THE

FRACTURING OF SNOWFLAKES WHICH ALL RESULTS IN A GREATER COMPONENT OF

SETTLING.

THE OTHER MAJOR QUESTION MARK IN THIS TIMEFRAME IS THE ALWAYS

RELEVANT DRY SLOT. LATEST LOOPED WATER VAPOR IMAGERY IS SHOWING A

SUBSTANTIAL DRY SLOT THAT IS LIFTING INTO PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL

ILLINOIS. THIS SYSTEM IS A LITTLE UNUSUAL TONIGHT WITH OVERALL BEST

UVV RESPONSE BEING CENTERED ABOVE 700 MB. THUS...ONE NEEDS TO BE

CAREFUL GETTING TOO CAUGHT UP WITH LOOKING TOO LOW FOR THE DRY SLOT

AS BEST LAPSE RATES ALWAYS RESIDE ABOVE 10 KFT. LATEST GFS/NAM

SOUNDINGS AND 500MB PLAN VIEWS DEFINITELY SHOWS THIS WITH A DRY AIR

INTRUSION ABOVE 600MB BETWEEN 9-12Z. PERSONAL BELIEF IS THAT AS THE

STRONGEST DYNAMICS SLIDE EASTWARD TO THE SOUTH...THE DRYSLOT SHOULD

WEAKEN AND SHEAR OUT TO THE EAST AS WELL. HOWEVER...THIS PROCESS

WILL LIKELY NOT BE STRONG ENOUGH TO MISS THE AREAS COMPLETELY AND

SOME DISRUPTION TO THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL RATES IS ANTICIPATED. AHEAD

OF THIS FEATURE...THUNDERSNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE MAINLY FOR DETROIT

SOUTHWARD (WILL LEAVE OUT OF THE FORECAST WITH LOW CONFIDENCE).

TAKING THE DRYSLOT AND LOWER SNOW RATIOS INTO ACCOUNT...SNOWFALL

ACCUMULATIONS BETWEEN 6-12Z ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE BETWEEN 3 TO 5

INCHES SOUTH OF M 59 AND 5 TO 8 INCHES TO THE NORTH.

WEDNESDAY.

AT 12Z...THE DEFORMATION AXIS WILL BE ALIGNED WEST TO EAST ACROSS

THE CWA OVER AND NORTH OF I 69. ALL MODELED INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE

OCCLUDING PROCESS OF THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CAUSE THIS AXIS TO

WEAKEN WITH TIME TOMORROW MORNING. THE ORTHOGONAL MOVEMENT OF THE

SYSTEM TO THIS AXIS WILL ALSO SERVE TO LIMIT DURATION...ESPECIALLY

ACROSS THE SOUTHERN CWA. CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPROVE FROM

SOUTH TO NORTH DURING THE MORNING...WITH SNOWS LARGELY ENDING ACROSS

THE SOUTH PRIOR TO 12Z. ATTM...AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW

IS EXPECTED CWA WIDE AFTER 12Z. A STRONG JET CORE IN THE LOWER

TROPOSPHERE (SUB 4 KFT) AND STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT IN PLACE WILL

ALLOW FOR SURFACE WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 35 MPH TONIGHT. A

NORTHEASTERLY TRAJECTORY OF WINDS DOWN SAGINAW BAY AND THE POTENTIAL

MIXING SUPPORTS THE INCLUSION OF BAY AND MIDLAND COUNTIES IN THE

BLIZZARD WARNING. THIS SUPPORTS THE CONTINUATION OF A BLIZZARD

WARNING. THE BLIZZARD WARNING END TIMES HAVE BEEN TRIMMED BACK TO

8AM DETROIT SOUTHWARD AND TO NOON FOR THE FAR NORTH.

IN TOTAL.

TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 7 TO 12 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE

ACROSS THE DETROIT AREA AND SOUTH OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN. 10 TO 15

INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE BETWEEN THE I 69 AND M 46 CORRIDORS. 8 TO 12

INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE NORTH OF THE TRI CITIES.

&&

.LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT TUESDAY

RESIDUAL NORTHERN STREAM MID LEVEL TROUGHING WILL BE LEFT BEHIND

IN THE WAKE OF THE WINTER STORM FOR THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY

PERIOD...AS THE MAMMOTH HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM SPRAWLS EAST-

NORTHEASTWARD FROM THE SOUTHERN PLAINS INTO THE OHIO VALLEY. A

PIECE OF THE ARCTIC AIRMASS NOW PENETRATING SOUTHWARD DOWN THE FRONT

RANGE OF THE ROCKIES AND INTO THE PLAINS WILL WORK EASTWARD...

ALTHOUGH NOT NEARLY TO THE DEGREE NOTED UPSTREAM /925 MB HOLD WITHIN

THE -10 TO -12C RANGE/. GIVEN A PERSISTENT LOW LEVEL GRADIENT...

THE DEGREE OF COOLING OVERNIGHT WILL LIKELY BE TIED TO HOW WELL

SKIES CAN CLEAR. DEEPER DRYING INTO THE COLUMN WOULD SUPPORT A

DIMINISHING SKY FRACTION WITH TIME. THIS TRANSLATES INTO LOWS IN

THE SINGLE DIGITS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY NIGHT...WHILE HIGHS

STRUGGLE INTO THE 15-20F RANGE ON THURSDAY.

SOME RECOVERY IN TEMPERATURES FOR THE FRIDAY-SATURDAY PERIOD AS

HEIGHTS CLIMB SLIGHTLY AND SOUTHWEST FLOW DEEPENS...BUT STILL

INADEQUATE TO PUSH READINGS OUT OF THE BELOW NORMAL RANGE. THE

INTERACTION OF A CLIPPER SYSTEM WITH A SHEARING SOUTHERN STREAM

WAVE WILL DICTATE HOW THE NEXT POTENTIAL ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL

EVOLVES SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. GFS/CANADIAN SOLUTIONS

MAINTAIN TWO DISTINCT FEATURES AND CARRY THE DEEPER MOISTURE/

STRONGER FORCING WITH THE SOUTHERN WAVE TO OUR EAST. THE ECMWF

DOES SUGGEST SOME PHASING POTENTIAL AND A MORE WESTERLY TRACK. IN

ANY CASE...SETUP FAVORS A LOWER END CHANCE FOR SNOW HEADING INTO THE

WEEKEND.

500MB HEIGHTS SHOW A TROUGH AXIS OVER THE CWA SUNDAY...AND MODELS

DIFFER AS TO THE DEPTH OF THE TROUGH. A COLD POOL SHOULD BE PRESENT

OVER MI BUT THE ECMWF SHOWS 500MB HEIGHTS NEAR 525DAM VS THE WARMER

GFS. THIS COULD BE DUE TO THE JET STREAM OVER THE APPALACHIANS BEING

10-15KT STRONGER ON THE ECMWF. THIS ACTION WILL STRENGTHEN THE SFC

LOW OVER SRN QUEBEC. NW FLOW WILL KEEP LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS IN

THE FORECAST WHICH WILL REMAIN LIGHT SUNDAY. TIMING DIFFERS FROM

MODEL TO MODEL BUT IT LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER ORGANIZED LOW PRESSURE

SYSTEM WILL BRING MODERATE SNOW TO THE AREA MON NIGHT AND TUES. NOT

NEARLY AS STRONG AS THE CURRENT EVENT...BUT STAY TUNED.

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