January 24-26: Miracle or Mirage OBS Thread!

[T. August]

Currently 16.1 after a high of 17.7. Cold enough for ice to continue to form on the inlet all day even through filtered sunlight.

[Scuddz]

58 minutes ago, H2O said:

Quick question for the experts like @wxmeddler and @MN Transplant and or all other mets/smart people

On Radarscope which radar/tilt/reflectivity is best to see when returns are close to surface and not virga?  Are radars like TADW better to see that than KLWX?

I'm not exactly sure I'm following your questions, as all radar's will show the "hole" if/when virga is present.  If you're asking, which radar beam will be scanning closest near the ground IMBY, it's generally the closest to you geographically and the lowest tilt (tilt 1). I dont exactly recall where you live (it's been a minute), but I think the TADW would be scanning lowest for you and would give you the best idea when it would start reaching the ground.  However, once we get into the storm and we get a melting layer it's probably going to get attenuated all to hell. 

[Scuddz]

1 minute ago, Scuddz said:

I'm not exactly sure I'm following your questions, as all radar's will show the "hole" if/when virga is present.  If you're asking, which radar beam will be scanning closest near the ground IMBY, it's generally the closest to you geographically and the lowest tilt (tilt 1). I dont exactly recall where you live (it's been a minute), but I think the TADW would be scanning lowest for you and would give you the best idea when it would start reaching the ground.  However, once we get into the storm and we get a melting layer it's probably going to get attenuated all to hell. 

...Then he remembers that we all have location identifiers in our profiles.... 

 

Yes, TADW would be lowest, much closer, and I think TDWRs scan at a lower angle than NEXRADs

[Yeoman]

1 minute ago, nw baltimore wx said:

How can they be short on salt? They’ve had 10 years to stock up.

Maybe they're like Va and put it down 5 days before a forecasted storm that never materializes.

[WxUSAF]

@MN Transplanthow we looking on CC radar??

[MN Transplant]

TDWR base scans are 0.3 degrees and the WSR-88Ds are 0.5.  So, closer and lower to the ground is normally best.  However, the 88Ds are more powerful.  I still defer to them in light snow.

[MN Transplant]

4 minutes ago, WxUSAF said:

@MN Transplanthow we looking on CC radar??

Looking great!

Edit - Johnson City, TN is the line right now

[paxpatriot]

Hope everyone busted low on temps today. We only got to 16.2F here with a forecasted high of 19. Every little bit should help.

[bncho]

2 minutes ago, paxpatriot said:

Hope everyone busted low on temps today. We only got to 16.2F here with a forecasted high of 19. Every little bit should help.

18, busted low from 21!

[davidjd1114]

16F/0 dp in York


.

[adelphi_sky]

Down to 19F. Not dropping as fast as others. 

[BTRWx's Thanks Giving]

5 minutes ago, paxpatriot said:

Hope everyone busted low on temps today. We only got to 16.2F here with a forecasted high of 19. Every little bit should help.

Not everyone

[Buddy1987]

Everything has caved. Absolutely beautiful outside. 

[aldie 22]

5:48 my sister who lives in far SE Ohio just across the river from Huntington WV has just started snowing. 

[Massanothing]

15/-8 currently...anxiously awaiting!! 

[H2O]

29 minutes ago, Scuddz said:

...Then he remembers that we all have location identifiers in our profiles.... 

 

Yes, TADW would be lowest, much closer, and I think TDWRs scan at a lower angle than NEXRADs

That’s more or less what I was asking. Basically I want to know which radar will show the least agonizing wait for snow to fill in. This beltway donut sucks ass

 

Thanks for the reply. Appreciate it

[wxdude64]

After TWO HOURS of very light snow, have enough for the ground to be white, lol. Currently 15.8/3.0, light snow and ENE wind at 6 mph. 

[Bob Chill]

Light snow starting to accumulate now. It's a sand like quality and not puffy flakes. I don't have high expectations but maybe things will rip for a few hours with normal dendrites 

[Jebman]

26 degrees, frz driz and N winds to 20mph. Makes it feel like 12 degrees.

Hope you all are seeing snow already! We're sending lots moisture right your way!

[Rvarookie]

12 minutes ago, Bob Chill said:

Light snow starting to accumulate now. It's a sand like quality and not puffy flakes. I don't have high expectations but maybe things will rip for a few hours with normal dendrites 

Yeh man these flakes don’t look like what usually see. 

[wxdude64]

14 minutes ago, wxdude64 said:

After TWO HOURS of very light snow, have enough for the ground to be white, lol. Currently 15.8/3.0, light snow and ENE wind at 6 mph. 

So, we DID start a lot earlier than what NWS was calling for, but the 2 hours of snizzle and, as @Bob Chill said, sand took forever to accumulate to making everything white. The flake size has definitely increased in last 20 minutes and visibilities are down in the 1-2 mile range now compared to the 5-7 mile vis earlier. Just a holler to those upstream. 

[balltermen]

5 minutes ago, Rvarookie said:

Yeh man these flakes don’t look like what usually see. 

arctic dust. it's not often we have the airmass to support it. 

We had a storm maybe 10-ish years ago where it was 15 at onset and we managed to squeeze out an inch but the ratio was like 6:1.   Good luck getting the dendrites 

[nj2va]

20/-3, feels like snow!

[LeesburgWx]

17 degrees here and snow knocking on door. Ready to do this, sleet and all!

[Ephesians2]

Pixie dust... very very very light dusting

17/-3

[peribonca]

22F and nothing yet in Colonial Beach VA. Really hoping this isn't a paralyzing ice storm

[CAPE]

16.5

Clouds

[Disc]

14.0F - Blacksburg, VA. All snow.

 

[SnowtoRain]

17.2/0.5

[Ralph Wiggum]

16F and just measured 3 inches. Snow is on the way too.