January 24-26: Miracle or Mirage OBS Thread!

[Wetbulbs88]

I rescind my comments about this being a bust. But in my defense I've never experienced a sleet storm that can actually accumulate with any semblance of significance. This is wild. 

Hoping we can keep the ZR at bay!

[Solution Man]

Looks like most of the DMV will approach double digit sneet

[Weather Junkie]

Is it me or have filled a large dry slot with greens and yellows?

[hsq]

7 minutes ago, snowfan said:

Latest hrrr has things shutting off around 7-8pm. 

HRRR sim radar at the tail end ~7pm looks rough SE of DC wrt ZR. Hopefully it stays sleet.

[Snowciopathic Snow Bro]

3 minutes ago, RevWarReenactor said:

The NAM has a pretty decent amount too. I can't imagine raining at these temps but this storm is one of a kind. 

Good point.  I was basically looking at only my back yard (Data Center Land, I mean Gainesville) for the various model runs.  NAM doesn't skimp on the ZR for some other areas.

[Harv_poor]

Dulles reporting as of 12:50 heavy snow. Assume that is automated and cannot be correct? DCA reporting light snoe.

[somecallmetim]

Up to a 6 inch depth in Del Ray. Not clearing a board, but was just under 5 when it transitioned, so well over an inch of sleet with compaction. 

 

[dailylurker]

6 minutes ago, CAPE said:

21 at 1pm

Most guidance has my yard 27 at this point

Late afternoon into evening 32-33.

Still 19 across the bay from you. Awesome storm! I'm really digging this one.

[WxUSAF]

7.7” total. Not quite to 2” of sleet but should get there in another hour-ish

[GATECH]

Sleeting so hard it sounds like bacon sizzling

[jayyy]

Not as good as a foot+, but I’ll take 8+ of snow/sleet that’ll stick around for 1-2 weeks. Haven’t measured but easily over 8 currently with crushing sleet falling

[konksw]

Could dynamic cooling with these heavier amounts bring snow back into the picture?

[JenkinsJinkies]

1 minute ago, jayyy said:

that’ll stick around for 1-2 weeks

Likely longer due to the arctic blasts.

[ErinInTheSky]

7 minutes ago, Wetbulbs88 said:

I rescind my comments about this being a bust. But in my defense I've never experienced a sleet storm that can actually accumulate with any semblance of significance. This is wild. 

Hoping we can keep the ZR at bay!

This is what I was trying to say yesterday. Sleet bombs, true ones, are RARE here and fun as heck.

 

wait til you see people try to drive over the little bumps thinking it works the same as snow.

 

we are gonna be locked in way more than people realize after this 

[ErinInTheSky]

It is sleet STORMING out here in Gaithersburg. An absolute shellacking of a sleet downpour.

[snjókoma]

All I can think about is how long this is gonna stick around

I remember the March 2017 or 2018 storm where we got a couple inches of snow with a healthy inch or two of sleet on top. That pack somehow survived multiple days of March sun angle and there was still ice on side roads three days after

[SnowtoRain]

21.9, light sleet

[Miss Pixee]

Rolling along in SE DC

Sneet/ graupel/ icedust/ whatever the heck it is steady. 20/18DP

The poor fools who shoveled earlier aren't happy...their steps are covered again. Weird...the stuff accumulates on top of cars but falls off the sides. Deep tire tracks on street. No plows.

[balltermen]

18

I think i'm near 8". I took a nap. 

[nw baltimore wx]

Is the 1PM observation from IAD accurate?  It says heavy snow and freezing fog.

eta that I think that sleet might be reported as snow.

[Paleocene]

Impressive CAD. It's still in the 20s in NC. 25 in Raleigh 

 

Sleet never ends here in silver spring.

[WxMan1]

13 minutes ago, MN Transplant said:

The surface temps are running well below guidance, at least IMBY (16.4°) which makes me wonder if the cold layer is going to hold on long enough to reduce the ZR chances.

Not to mention the cooling affect (diabatic cooling) whenever there is any melting. Guaranteed with 4-8+ inches of snow, depending on your location, along with a thick layer of glaciating sleet, many areas east of I-95 expected to flirt with 30-32F per the guidance won't unless we get a substantial E-SE surface wind. 

[ErinInTheSky]

2 minutes ago, snjókoma said:

All I can think about is how long this is gonna stick around

I remember the March 2017 or 2018 storm where we got a couple inches of snow with a healthy inch or two of sleet on top. That pack somehow survived multiple days of March sun angle and there was still ice on side roads three days after

I remember that too, and this is heading for twice as much sleet.

 

[RevWarReenactor]

2 minutes ago, ErinInTheSky said:

This is what I was trying to say yesterday. Sleet bombs, true ones, are RARE here and fun as heck.

 

wait til you see people try to drive over the little bumps thinking it works the same as snow.

 

we are gonna be locked in way more than people realize after this 

Yeah I just went and shoveled about 2 inches of sleet off the driveway, it was an entirely different ballgame than shoveling the cold powder. Felt like 5 times as heavy.

[poprock49]

Sleeting more heavily again and radar looks healthy… I may have been silly to discount the NWS forecast so soon

[Wxtrix]

still a snow/sleet mix. i can hear some quiet pinging on the window but it's nothing like what some of you are describing. the snow is blowing around in the slight breeze, too.

[Wxtrix]

 

[Eskimo Joe]

6 minutes ago, konksw said:

Could dynamic cooling with these heavier amounts bring snow back into the picture?

Unlikely. The mid levels are cooked.

[ErinInTheSky]

2 minutes ago, RevWarReenactor said:

Yeah I just went and shoveled about 2 inches of sleet off the driveway, it was an entirely different ballgame than shoveling the cold powder. Felt like 5 times as heavy.

Wait til 2 more inches fall and then it concretizes. What blows my mind is how cold it will be for an extended period of time.

[BlizzardNole]

So far 1.5 sleet (snow was 6.5); depth 7.5 so not compacting too much.  Moderate sleet and 19 degrees