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The feb 4-5 storm (Obs/Discussions)


Ji

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0.5" contour all the way to Philly...this is just the mean but it is much warmer and likes the 2-part idea....mixy/messy until Sunday morning when the mid levels crash

I am guessing by hr 51ish we should be switching over in the 2 part idea on the ensemble mean... 54hrs will be nice to see where the 850 line is

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I've been pretty much silent about this event but today's runs are inlign with alot of speculation earlier this week. It's not like anyone ever expected a miracle or anything but yes, it does look like snow will be on the ground on Sunday and this could easily be the best event of the season (lol- like that is saying something).

So far this year, most vorts passing to the S have trended juicier and further north with the precip in the 48 hour to ground zero timeframe. This looks to do the same thing. Probably has something to do with a complete absence of a -nao but that's just a guess.

It's easy to envision whats about to happen (if it happens of course). Marginal above freezing temps at onset but it will be easy to snow. Suface may (or probably) never get below freezing for dc metro south. Probably will in the typical spots like mt. airy, westminster, mr vortmax, etc. Column above looks fine though (especially during the heavier precip).

So, stating the obvious here but my guess is a low ratio slushy event with decent qpf. Even if we get .5 all snow, i can't imagine anything more than 2-3" tops in dc metro. It's not going to be good sledding snow because ground will be wet and muddy but in the end we'll all be pretty happy.

Just a shame we can't get a 1028+ hp in upstate ny or something. This time of year is really easy to get surface temps below freezing with this kinda storm. Oh well, just that kind of year I guess but I'm not complaining.

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I've been pretty much silent about this event but today's runs are inlign with alot of speculation earlier this week. It's not like anyone ever expected a miracle or anything but yes, it does look like snow will be on the ground on Sunday and this could easily be the best event of the season (lol- like that is saying something).

So far this year, most vorts passing to the S have trended juicier and further north with the precip in the 48 hour to ground zero timeframe. This looks to do the same thing. Probably has something to do with a complete absence of a -nao but that's just a guess.

It's easy to envision whats about to happen (if it happens of course). Marginal above freezing temps at onset but it will be easy to snow. Suface may (or probably) never get below freezing for dc metro south. Probably will in the typical spots like mt. airy, westminster, mr vortmax, etc. Column above looks fine though (especially during the heavier precip).

So, stating the obvious here but my guess is a low ratio slushy event with decent qpf. Even if we get .5 all snow, i can't imagine anything more than 2-3" tops in dc metro. It's not going to be good sledding snow because ground will be wet and muddy but in the end we'll all be pretty happy.

Just a shame we can't get a 1028+ hp in upstate ny or something. This time of year is really easy to get surface temps below freezing with this kinda storm. Oh well, just that kind of year I guess but I'm not complaining.

the surface is going to trend colder....we want QPF...temps are a problem we can deal with when there is no warm layer up high....This is a much better problem to have than the 850 0 line moving 250 miles north in a 6 hr window

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which is why I added the language, "but it is a mean"

sorry wasn't meant to be directed at you...i was being lazy...on that note, a majority of the individual members look good for Sunday...better phase...more precip with the 2nd event

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the surface is going to trend colder....we want QPF...temps are a problem we can deal with when there is no warm layer up high....This is a much better problem to have than the 850 0 line moving 250 miles north in a 6 hr window

Oh yea, I totally agree with this post. No doubt in my mind the surface ends up colder than what is modeled. We've seen it many times in the past (including several times this year). And yes, that part of the equation is much better to work on than praying we get cold enough at 850.

I wish we could fast forward to saturday evening and see what kind of dews and surface temps we're dealing with here and up north in pa and ny. That's the only reason why I'm a bit pessimistic about gettting below freezing imby. The light precip at the beginning will saturate the column pretty easilty and if we're @ 35 with a 31 dp before the snow then it's going to be frustrating. Figures we might be missing one simple feature to make this a pretty all snow event with the sound of plows on the street.

Nowcasting is going to be fun on Saturday though. It will be time to forget the model's suface temps and go with what we know. I always enjoy the nowcasting threads for that reason.

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sorry wasn't meant to be directed at you...i was being lazy...on that note, a majority of the individual members look good for Sunday...better phase...more precip with the 2nd event

the models are just catching on this morning.....I imagine the details are going to evolve, perhaps wildly, until late tomorrow....

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Oh yea, I totally agree with this post. No doubt in my mind the surface ends up colder than what is modeled. We've seen it many times in the past (including several times this year). And yes, that part of the equation is much better to work on than praying we get cold enough at 850.

I wish we could fast forward to saturday evening and see what kind of dews and surface temps we're dealing with here and up north in pa and ny. That's the only reason why I'm a bit pessimistic about gettting below freezing imby. The light precip at the beginning will saturate the column pretty easilty and if we're @ 35 with a 31 dp before the snow then it's going to be frustrating. Figures we'd be missing one simple feature to make this a pretty all snow event with the sound of plows on the street.

Nowcasting is going to be fun on Saturday though. It will be time to forget the model's suface temps and go with what we know. I always enjoy the nowcasting threads for that reason.

that's like well over half of our accumulating snow events.....DC is probably the worst place on earth to get a robust, juicy all snow event with the entire column safely below freezing

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Ensemble mean good for DCA, show about .7 in qpf., havent looked at individuals yet.

0.5" contour all the way to Philly...this is just the mean but it is much warmer and likes the 2-part idea....mixy/messy until Sunday morning when the mid levels crash

now this does shock/encourage me

http://raleighwx.ame...emblep72072.gif

thanks for the update! :snowing:

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that's like well over half of our accumulating snow events.....DC is probably the worst place on earth to get a robust, juicy all snow event with the entire column safely below freezing

Yep, 09-10 is such a stunning anomaly in these parts. That season blew my mind (and everbody elses of course). Couldn't line things up any better. Statistically, that year was like hitting the powerball. So awesome on so many levels. But now we deal with the norm and it is what it is. Still fun though. Just gotta keep everything in perspective.

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Yep, 09-10 is such a stunning anomaly in these parts. That season blew my mind (and everbody elses of course). Couldn't line things up any better. Statistically, that year was like hitting the powerball. So awesome on so many levels. But now we deal with the norm and it is what it is. Still fun though. Just gotta keep everything in perspective.

and I remember being a little pi$$ed at the 2/10 event turning to ip/zr right before midnight

even Chuck and Marcus were stunned by it in their back yards I recall

but Ma' Nature redeemed herself after about 4AM :)

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now this does shock/encourage me

http://raleighwx.ame...emblep72072.gif

You gotta wonder Mitch. Do we end up with a relatively high qpf event? Like a widespread .75+/-?

We've been here many times before. Ok track upstairs and most everything is trending wetter inside of 48. I honestly don't think that qpf is going to start backing off. Sweet spot will move around but overall, I think the wetter solutions are more likely to be right. Just a guess but at least a semi-educated one.

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the models are just catching on this morning.....I imagine the details are going to evolve, perhaps wildly, until late tomorrow....

very true, even though the ensemble generally show a better phase...the uncertainty of that phase is really high...

post-3368-0-13353900-1328291522.gif

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very true, even though the ensemble generally show a better phase...the uncertainty of that phase is really high...

does that represent the uncertainty "of a phase" or "where it phases"?

it seems at least a light snow event is in the cards, the question is now becoming can it become a moderate one with a more "perfect" phase

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