Chinook Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING ABOVE 6000 FEET...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM WEDNESDAY... * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 10 TO 20 INCHES ABOVE 6000 FEET WITH 2 TO 3 FEET OR MORE POSSIBLE ALONG THE CREST. * WIND: SOUTHERLY WINDS 25 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 80 MPH OR HIGHER WILL DEVELOP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snownut Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARDWARNING ABOVE 6000 FEET...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM WEDNESDAY...* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 10 TO 20 INCHES ABOVE 6000 FEET WITH 2 TO 3 FEET OR MORE POSSIBLE ALONG THE CREST.* WIND: SOUTHERLY WINDS 25 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 80 MPH OR HIGHER WILL DEVELOP Having just moved to the PNW this summer still trying to understand the snow levels and the interaction of warm air layers. Snow levels are lower in CA than here in CO right now. Past few weeks I have seen ice and freezing fog in an inversion with lower mountains areas getting rain while high elevations still getting snow. Sure is wildly changable compared to east coast weather where I moved from. Happy to see all the western moisture lately, sure hope it continues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinook Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Total precip from the 4km NAM, goes from 2.5" to 12" in NorCal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srain Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Blizzard Warnings, Winter Storm Warnings are now hoisted for the Central and Northern Sierra Nevada Range where snow levels will fall to the 6500 ft or below. Snow totals may approach the 2-3 feet+ near the crests with winds nearing 100 mph. Flash Flood issues are still possible across the Central and Northern California lower elevations as well as some stronger storms when an near 80kt jet speed max nears the Channel Islands on Friday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usedtobe Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Steve, I posted this on my Facebook page about the storm. California looks like it is really going to be hammered with heavy precipitation. CWG wrote this piece on the storm yesterday(http://www.washingtonpost.com/…/pineapple-express-to-deliv…/) As noted, in that article, this storm looks like it could be the wettest storm since 2009. Before I retired, Rich Grumm, Mike Bodner and I put together a web site showing the top 10 three day precipitation producers for the SFO/SAC area. They tended to have really high precipitation and moisture flux anomalies, the latter often more than 5 standard deviations (SD) from normal. Below is a web site showing the weather patterns and anomalies associated with the major rainfall events. http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/res…/California_major_rains.htm I've attached last night's model forecasts of the 850mb moisture flux anomalies. Note that they exceed 5 SD. That's in the same ball park with the really big ones that we studied. I doubt this one will make the top 10 but it should be really wet one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayjawintastawm Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Having just moved to the PNW this summer still trying to understand the snow levels and the interaction of warm air layers. Snow levels are lower in CA than here in CO right now. Past few weeks I have seen ice and freezing fog in an inversion with lower mountains areas getting rain while high elevations still getting snow. Sure is wildly changable compared to east coast weather where I moved from. Happy to see all the western moisture lately, sure hope it continues. Yeah, great to see moisture, hope some more makes it across the Divide. Moved to CO from the East Coast 4 years ago. The major variables for ptype in NE are ocean proximity, source and amount of cold air, and (hugely) where the low and its moisture set up. Here the first two are not so much an issue, but the third is (less), with the addition of ptype mainly dictated by elevation rather than anything else. Since it's overall drier, there is little rain from October through March, but rather either snow or nothing. I imagine Bend is kind of like that, being more inland and in the rain shadow of the Cascades. The PNW is not in my area of knowledge- but I bet it's more interesting than here in CO, but elevation seems to be the primary thing there too. I don't think you have the kind of warm air aloft you have back East for most storms that can add layers to the ptype cake, nor the cold air reservoir like in eastern Canada. Of course elevation can matter back East too... the most significant ice storm of my 30+ years there was in Dec 2008 IIRC where we got an inch of radial ice in some places at 650 feet elevation, while down the hill just 200 feet below got plain rain. Lost zillions of trees and had no power for a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snownut Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Yeah, great to see moisture, hope some more makes it across the Divide. Moved to CO from the East Coast 4 years ago. The major variables for ptype in NE are ocean proximity, source and amount of cold air, and (hugely) where the low and its moisture set up. Here the first two are not so much an issue, but the third is (less), with the addition of ptype mainly dictated by elevation rather than anything else. Since it's overall drier, there is little rain from October through March, but rather either snow or nothing. I imagine Bend is kind of like that, being more inland and in the rain shadow of the Cascades. The PNW is not in my area of knowledge- but I bet it's more interesting than here in CO, but elevation seems to be the primary thing there too. I don't think you have the kind of warm air aloft you have back East for most storms that can add layers to the ptype cake, nor the cold air reservoir like in eastern Canada. Of course elevation can matter back East too... the most significant ice storm of my 30+ years there was in Dec 2008 IIRC where we got an inch of radial ice in some places at 650 feet elevation, while down the hill just 200 feet below got plain rain. Lost zillions of trees and had no power for a week. What part of Colorado? I understand there is way more sun in Colorado and imagine way more powder snow there. Bend is one of the "sunnier" places in OR but some people I have met from CO complain about the clouds. I think the enormous moisture content here in the Cascades is why it seems the snow pack really hangs around and builds up here? Colorado seems to loose the snowpack pretty quickly in the spring? Certainly not east coast climate, Bend is dry compared to anywhere I have lived. 11-12 " annual while just 25 miles west it is super wet mountain forest with ferns and moss on the trees. Had inversions couple times here over the past few weeks unlike anything I ever experienced back east. Rapid temperature change with just a light wind shift to NE direction. Where were you living to get that ice storm? Happy to see Northern California is really going to dent the drought the next couple days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinook Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Point and click forecast for Mineral, CA (8397 ft) snow: 40 to 56" (Lassen Volcanic National Park) --- Tonight Snow. Steady temperature around 36. Windy, with a south wind 29 to 34 mph increasing to 36 to 41 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 65 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of 8 to 12 inches possible. Thursday Snow. Temperature falling to around 29 by 2pm. Windy, with a south wind 41 to 46 mph decreasing to 31 to 36 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 75 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 23 to 29 inches possible. Thursday Night Snow showers. Low around 25. South southwest wind 14 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 7 to 11 inches possible. Friday Snow showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 27. West southwest wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srain Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 The current storm is ceratianly helping the long-term drought across California. The global guidance is advertising yet another storm system with another long wave trough nearing the West Coast next week. The next storm system appears a bit weaker than the current system, but will bring additional lower elevation rains and snow levels should drop to around 4000 ft bringing additional snow that certainly will help put a dent in the drought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophisticated Skeptic Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 the West need more weather enthusiasts. These are pretty historic rains coming for Northern Cal. oh yea and : 0630 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 5 SSE SIERRAVILLE 39.53N 120.33W12/11/2014 M74 MPH SIERRA CA MESONET RICE CANYON RAWS MEASURED A WIND GUST OF 74 MPH. 0750 AM NON-TSTM WND GST E GALENA 39.38N 119.83W12/11/2014 M82 MPH WASHOE NV TRAINED SPOTTER GALENA RAWS MEASURED A WIND GUST OF 82 MPH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sokolow Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Hilarious amounts of rain and flash flooding across the SF region as heavy rain band slows overhead. Radar snapshot and overnight satellite image from bay area NWS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sokolow Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Widespread school closures overnight, a friend tells me stay-home calls were going out up to the last minute. One BART station down due to flooding. Pretty good photos popping up on Twitter. @tkinsf: @NWSBayArea 280 near Colma. Already saw one car getting submerged. Folks, stay home! http://t.co/BvUyNBsiZI This is reported as being from Guerneville up in Sonoma county: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophisticated Skeptic Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Large parts of San Francisco, including the Financial District, Telegraph Hill, Marina, Presidio, Pacific Heights, Civic Center and Richmond are without power as an epic storm slams the Bay Area. Some commuters reported busier-than-usual trains headed from San Francisco back to the East Bay, perhaps as many downtown office workers returned home. A substation outage near Civic Center was affecting service to more than 50,000 customers in San Francisco, said around 9 a.m. It said it was working to find the cause and restore power. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/morning_call/2014/12/sf-bay-area-storm-transit-schools-roads-update.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinook Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Wow, there are going to be a lot of local storm reports of wind today. I am seeing 64mph in the East Bay area, as well as 76mph in Carson City NV. Also seeing a 4.0" rain report just north of Marin County CA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sokolow Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Selected unofficial gust reports from NWS Sacramento, including a 147 (!) MPH gust. Via Facebook Local Sheriff's office reports interesting conditions on Lake Tahoe. Greatly amused by the hashtag #hellastorm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sokolow Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Looks like the southland gets into the party early morning tomorrow as the front comes ashore. As NWS Los Angeles says, not real hard to see where the low and the front were this AM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinook Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Awesome satellite image from 14z. It even apprears as if western Canada is getting a big storm, but that is mainly high altitude clouds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophisticated Skeptic Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 wow...just wow - PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARYNATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV1217 PM PST THU DEC 11 2014..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON.....DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS..0200 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 SW ALPINE MEADOWS 39.16N 120.24W12/11/2014 M109 MPH PLACER CA TRAINED SPOTTER ALPINE MEADOWS MEASURED A WIND GUST OF 109 MPH AT 8643 FEET.0503 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 W MAMMOTH LAKES 37.64N 119.02W12/11/2014 M111 MPH MONO CA MESONET MAMMOTH SUMMIT MEASURED A WIND GUST OF 111 MPH AT 10067 FEET.0550 AM NON-TSTM WND GST NE WHITE MOUNTAIN PEAK 37.63N 118.26W12/11/2014 M113 MPH MONO CA TRAINED SPOTTER WHITE MOUNTAIN SUMMIT RESEARCH STATION MEASURED A WIND GUST OF 113 MPH AT 14246 FEET.0630 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 5 SSE SIERRAVILLE 39.53N 120.33W12/11/2014 M74.00 MPH SIERRA CA MESONET RICE CANYON RAWS MEASURED A WIND GUST OF 74 MPH.0700 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 6 NE INCLINE VILLAGE 39.31N 119.88W12/11/2014 M112 MPH WASHOE NV MESONET SLIDE MOUNTAIN MEASURED A WIND GUST OF 112 MPH AT 9650 FEET. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinook Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 another wind report, NW of Tahoe. I think this is category 4 on saffir-simpson Time: 2014-12-11T15:10:00Z UTCEvent: 135 NON-TSTM WND GSTSource: MESONETRemark: MOUNT LINCOLN DRI SENSOR REPORTED A WIND GUST OF 135 MPH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophisticated Skeptic Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN FRANCISCO CA 124 PM PST THU DEC 11 2014 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0122 PM HEAVY RAIN 8 W HEALDSBURG 38.61N 123.02W 12/11/2014 M9.00 INCH SONOMA CA MESONET 9 INCHES OF RAIN MEASURED IN THE PAST 24 HOURS AT THE VENADO GAUGE IN NORTHERN SONOMA COUNTY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophisticated Skeptic Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Not sure how much rain San Fran can handle...but ummm...yea. ....while the media's asleep at the wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinook Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Mount Lincoln DRI sensor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophisticated Skeptic Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Cat 4. Borderline Cat 5. ^^ speechless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ice1972 Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Cat 4. Borderline Cat 5. ^^ speechless. The peaks can really blow even in pedestrian events......60+ in a typical storm.....love the Sierras......this one is a doozy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Nice howling wind here in Elko, 45 mph gusts at my house and 55 at the airport... fun. Not quite as bad as they're getting to the west, but pretty nice. 45 is the second highest my Davis has gusted since I installed it 2 1/2 years ago. http://classic.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KNVELKO7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srain Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 Classic Nino type storm in Tahoe. Those gusts are not that uncommon with a Big Pacific storm. One of my favorite experiences in the late 90's was a massive thunder snow blizzard with total whiteout at Heavenly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quakertown needs snow Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 the water rushing down those steep streets must be insane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sokolow Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 at present SFO looks to have set a december 24hr and top 10 24 hr rainfall record with at least 3.25" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinook Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 Apparently some sort of bow echo happened near Los Angeles This radar image tweeted by NWS Los Angeles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weathergun Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 Incredible video of "small tornado": in south Los Angles neighborhood: https://www.facebook.com/ABC7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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