January 24-26: Miracle or Mirage OBS Thread!

[ErinInTheSky]

I cleared my snow board an hour ago and now have 0.75" of sleet and so much more to come in Gaithersburg.

[nw baltimore wx]

I’m not sure what is falling out there now. Some sleet but also stuff that’s blowing and not coming down straight. Also the visibility is down like snow. 

[ravensrule]

Hit 7” before the change to sleet. It could have possibly been a little more than 7” because I measured 15 minutes before the flip. Regardless an amazing storm so far and many more to come. Let’s do this. Lots of sleepless nights ahead. 

[GreyHat]

2 minutes ago, SnowenOutThere said:

Lmk your storm total. Interested to see how it compares to mine 

The SPC meso analysis shows our 850 temps well into the negatives still so we’re probably safe for a while.

What are the 700 since that's where some were talking about the warm nose.

[SomeguyfromTakomaPark]

It’s a crazy storm, pounding sleet and accumulating.  Fast sledding! Really fun. 

[Twilly05]

About 6 here. Oldfield Point in North East, Md. still all snow and coming down hard

[Thewiledcard]

I have no idea where or how to measure snow here in Lancaster county, Pa. Blowing snow is a problem. My deck is clean but I have 1ft + drifts.

12 degrees F here as well.

[eyewall]

Got to test my forester in the snow and sleet and it handled like a champ. I had to go down the road to get some aerial shots to where I wasn't too close to the airport.

[SnowenOutThere]

1 minute ago, GreyHat said:

What are the 700 since that's where some were talking about the warm nose.

Doesn’t matter so much for sleet/freezing rain. As long as the 850 down to surface is sub freezing we prob don’t have enough warmth in the atmosphere to get ice. 

[goodwidp]

Most recent SPC meso discussion from 9:39 AM EST. 

 

 

Mesoscale Discussion 0055
   NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
   0839 AM CST Sun Jan 25 2026

   Areas affected...Eastern West Virginia and Virginia into the
   DelMarva.

   Concerning...Winter mixed precipitation 

   Valid 251439Z - 251745Z

   SUMMARY...Snow has mostly transitioned to sleet from eastern West
   Virginia, across Virginia, and into the DelMarva.

   DISCUSSION...Strong warm air advection has supported moderate
   precipitation rates through the morning across West
   Virginia/Virginia and into the Mid-Atlantic. The 12A IAD RAOB showed
   a warm nose slightly below freezing at around 750mb with very strong
   (80 knot) southwesterly flow at the altitude of the warm nose. As
   such, this warm nose is quickly warming/advecting north and surface
   observations of sleet across northeast Virginia and Maryland confirm
   this transition. Any areas that remain snow this morning across
   Virginia and Maryland will likely transition to sleet within the
   next 1 to 2 hours given this strong warm air advection aloft.

   Expect precipitation type to remain sleet even as this warm nose
   continues to warm given the very cold temperatures at the top of the
   boundary layer (-15C) at the KIAD, KRNK, and KGSO 12Z RAOBs. The
   moderate precipitation will continue with sleet accumulation of 0.1
   to 0.2 inches per hour expected.

   ..Bentley.. 01/25/2026

[AACOUNTYMD]

Heavy sleet, Crownsville.  maybe 6 before switch, 1.5 of sleet since- ish 

there seems to be a big dry slot heading our way?  Is that a thing?  Or do you all think it will fill in???

[MDphotog]

Sleet mixing in here as well.  Dang was hoping to hold on to at least noon.  Still have snow mixing in though.  Call it 7 inches before the changeover.

[nj2va]

Pouring sleet, wow

[TSG]

Anyone with the knowledge want to chime in on SLEET ratios? I've seen 2-4:1 listed all over, not a large range, I don't have a clue what influences that like I do snow. Are there specific "growth" conditions for less dense ice? Or is the upper end of the range the result of only partially melted snow?

[MDScienceTeacher]

20 minutes ago, ifindppl said:

Probably 5 inches of snow and another inch or two of sleet.

Thx!  I am glad I didn’t change my trip.  

[EB89]

What time does the storm end?

[WhiteoutMD]

2 minutes ago, AACOUNTYMD said:

Heavy sleet, Crownsville.  maybe 6 before switch, 1.5 of sleet since- ish 

there seems to be a big dry slot heading our way?  Is that a thing?  Or do you all think it will fill in???

we should have precip falling on AA county until around midnight 

[GreyHat]

Must be a good glaze of sleet on the snow, as you can see it bouncing off the snow.

[peribonca]

1 minute ago, EB89 said:

What time does the storm end?

7-8pm

[arlwx12]

More sleet in Arlington VA.

The sidewalk where the first neighbor shoveled out is coated.

Visibility back down to 1/2 mile.

[GreyHat]

1 minute ago, peribonca said:

7-8pm

Depending on location 

[Paleocene]

5 minutes ago, nj2va said:

Pouring sleet, wow

It's absolutely dumping sleet. Unbelievable. Looks like a gusty rainstorm

[mitchnick]

Sleet and snow

[WxUSAF]

@high risk your 13-14z call for the mix time was spot on.  Was about 1330z for MBY.  But this mix of sleet and needles is interesting.  Visibility is way lower than normal for a predominant sleet precipitation event.  I'm curious how this will accumulate.  I think @csnavywx and @Terpeastwere suggesting we're getting snow to crystallize below the inversion to mix with the sleet that's coming from higher up?

[Kay]

Just measured 6.5" while being lashed with sleet. Keeping an eye out for @T. Augustmeasurements over on the other side of APG.

[MillvilleWx]

44 minutes ago, DDweatherman said:

Good news is with these rates even when pingers mix in, we’ll have such a solid precip rate we should continue some good accumulations.

@wxmeddler or @MillvilleWx what’s the ruling on measurement when p-type changes to sleet? Do you clear your measurement location? I know sleet is counted as SN in records, so need a refresher course. 

Yes! Best practice is measure the snow after it changes and then clear to measure the sleet. Make sure to mark the time of the transition, if possible. Still holding on up there according to CC. Hopefully it continues for another hour or two! 

[Miss Pixee]

18 degrees DP 16 and holding. More sugar sleet is sweet

App says heavy snow 30 minutes out. Eyeball 6+ (someone out shoveling, snow is higher than the steps.)

poor fools don't know more is on the way

[Wxdavis5784]

1 minute ago, mitchnick said:

Sleet and snow

Yep. Just measured 6.5” on the table on the back deck. 

[Ellinwood]

Got 6" of snow in Germantown, MD before changing over to sleet around 8:45am... about 1-2" less than I wanted to see before the changeover across the region. Snowblower doesn't get used often but am glad I have it. Looking for 1-2" of sleet through this afternoon now. 14F and sleet is silly

[Yeoman]

Just now, Miss Pixee said:

18 degrees DP 16 and holding

App says heavy snow 30 minutes out. Eyeball 6+ (someone out shoveling, snow is higher than the steps.)

poor fools don't know more is on the way

There won't be anymore snow in DC today