December 2025 General Discussion

[frostfern]

1 minute ago, Stevo6899 said:

We dont get big snows with temps in the teens and nw flow.

The trough has to retrograde a little to open up the gulf, which didn’t happen with this outbreak.  That doesn’t mean it’s impossible for a big dog to occur during a below average period.

[Stevo6899]

1 minute ago, frostfern said:

Unless you’re up in northern Minnesota, snow missing south has more to due weak disturbances with lack of phasing than temps being too cold.  Big dogs don’t have trouble cutting up into arctic airmasses, provided they have the necessary depth.  Pacific intrusions never help because they tend to split the jet.

Yes but the big dogs usually bring some warmer temps with more moisture, if they make it this far north with arctic air in place. There's a reason detroit didnt get more than 3 inches in one event in the cold pattern we've been in for 2 weeks+.

[frostfern]

4 minutes ago, Stevo6899 said:

Yes but the big dogs usually bring some warmer temps with more moisture, if they make it this far north with arctic air in place. There's a reason detroit didnt get more than 3 inches in one event in the cold pattern we've been in for 2 weeks+.

They do, but that warmth has to come from the south due to a southern stream low phasing and strengthening, not from a Pacific garbage airmass coming in from the west.

[Chicago Storm]

We dont get big snows with temps in the teens and nw flow.

we don’t?

you may want to inform central illinois that their 6-9” on saturday was a mirage.

[Chicago Storm]

There's a reason detroit didnt get more than 3 inches in one event in the cold pattern we've been in for 2 weeks+.

bad placement.

take a break, hoss.

[A-L-E-K]

while i grow to hate cad more each passing year, you really do need deep cold nearby for the big dogs that really crank

[frostfern]

15 minutes ago, A-L-E-K said:

while i grow to hate cad more each passing year, you really do need deep cold nearby for the big dogs that really crank

Yep.  The only exception I can think of is one of those late season stalled fronts where it’s shorts weather to the south and waves of snow a couple hundred miles north.  It isn’t the right time of year for that.  It’s late Feb through early April for that kind of setup.

Mid-winter big dogs need that arctic air nearby, usually to the NW.

[michsnowfreak]

1 hour ago, Chicago Storm said:

we don’t?

you may want to inform central illinois that their 6-9” on saturday was a mirage.

He doesn't consider 6-9" a big storm lol

[frostfern]

3 minutes ago, michsnowfreak said:

He doesn't consider 6-9" a big storm lol

He’s still wrong though.  GHDI was on the heels of prolonged cold.  Maybe that one wasn’t so good for SE Michigan, but the problem wasn’t too much cold.

[michsnowfreak]

6 minutes ago, frostfern said:

He’s still wrong though.  GHDI was on the heels of prolonged cold.  Maybe that one wasn’t so good for SE Michigan, but the problem wasn’t too much cold.

I didnt say he isn't, just pointing that out. GHD1 was still a big storm here...it just failed to reach expectations in SE MI. Actually boggles my mind that this bust is still talked about with everything thats happened in the 15 years since. Its not like we expected 3 feet and got 0, we expected 12-18" and got 8-11"  GHDII (16.7" DTW) and Jan 22 2005 (12.2") were huge storms at Detroit with plenty of arctic air around...to say nothing of the insanity of Jan 6, 2014. Following nearly 11" of snow temps dropped to -14° in hours.

[frostfern]

7 minutes ago, michsnowfreak said:

I didnt say he isn't, just pointing that out. GHD1 was still a big storm here...it just failed to reach expectations in SE MI. Actually boggles my mind that this bust is still talked about with everything thats happened in the 15 years since. Its not like we expected 3 feet and got 0, we expected 12-18" and got 8-11"  GHDII (16.7" DTW) and Jan 22 2005 (12.2") were huge storms at Detroit with plenty of arctic air around...to say nothing of the insanity of Jan 6, 2014. Following nearly 11" of snow temps dropped to -14° in hours.

Yea.  I just don’t remember those storms as I was living in Seattle part of the time and missed them.  GHDI was better here in GRR (though still a little short of the forecast with 15” verified as opposed 18” forecast) while GHDII was more concentrated along I-94 with lighter totals north (8-12”).

[Stevo6899]

7 hours ago, Chicago Storm said:

we don’t?

you may want to inform central illinois that their 6-9” on saturday was a mirage.

It can happen but rarely does. Also if you could read hoss, my first post said big snows and high ratio 6-9 isn't a big snow. Yea you need cold air to get big snows but not in your backyard (temps in teens). Take a break being a clown hoss.

[Chicago Storm]

It can happen but rarely does. Also if you could read hoss, my first post said big snows and high ratio 6-9 isn't a big snow. Yea you need cold air to get big snows but not in your backyard (temps in teens). Take a break being a clown hoss.

6-9” is a big snow, statistically speaking.

whatever parallel universe you and beavis live in must be one hell of a place.

-2 for using hoss twice.

[A-L-E-K]

6-9: big snow

20+: big dog

[OrdIowPitMsp]

Torched to 43 yesterday. Lost 2” of snowdepth, now 7” at MSP. 

[TheClimateChanger]

Certainly a big change. International Falls, commonly known as the Icebox of the Nation, soared to an astounding 50F yesterday, obliterating a 112-year-old daily record by 7F. That was the latest 50F reading on record there. For those hoping the snowpack might blunt the coming warmup, that's not a positive development.

[Brian D]

Is 6-9" a big snow? The upper end of that is getting there. Maybe we need a woman's perspective on this?? 

[michsnowfreak]

37 minutes ago, Brian D said:

Is 6-9" a big snow? The upper end of that is getting there. Maybe we need a woman's perspective on this?? 

Dont leave us gay dudes out my man!

Jokes aside....theres no question that big snowstorms occur when its bitterly cold. And those are the best imo. I love the cold powder. But honestly, a traditional up and down roller coaster La Nina pattern can often produce some of the best snowstorms here. Weve had nonstop deep winter here since late November- bitter cold and constant snowcover. But no big storms. Today snowmelt is underway . With the pattern changing and deep winter taking a break, I wonder if we have a lot more fun/frustration ahead in Jan-Mar?

Wouldnt surprise me if this 3 week stretch was the most sustained pattern we get all winter. La Ninas often carry the chance for multiple big snowstorms, arctic blasts, and torches. Buckle up.