vastateofmind

I somewhat follow the model runs at this range (48-72 hrs out), still to learn. Back in the "Snowmageddon/Commutageddon" days, yeah...I'd absolutely have a meltdown if what was forecasted/modeled didn't pan out for southeastern FfxCo, OR, if we got something far worse and I had to attempt a typically 20-minute commute which took 3+ hours in an unexpected snow deluge...I'd meltdown then, too. No longer. Just not worth expending the mental/spiritual energy on any of that crap. While I enjoy seeing snow TV or light snow, I don't necessarily look forward to cleaning up anywhere between 6"-10" of snow these days. However, I know there are a thousands of snow-starved folks here in the DMV, and so...I continue to root for them.

If you can, share pics over the next several days...bet it will rapidly become photogenic out there.

100% But upshots are 1. I learn more each season about the climatological nuts & bolts that put us in "thread the needle" mode around here, and 2) because of that accumulated knowledge, I refuse to rend my garments or gnash my teeth any longer if tracking a potential storm for days doesn't pan out...which is the rule rather than the exception here on the DMV southside.

I know you just landed, but...pics, please!

I don't feel old at all when you share stuff like that (although, full disclosure, I was in my mid 40s then!)...on the contrary, I love to see/hear that young folks still fall in love with tracking weather from that age and even younger...

A million thank you's for your continued work and refinement on all of this, and especially for this highly useful dashboard! I especially love the IntelliStar link off of this dashboard, which opens the mini desktop web version that continually loops. (And yes, I keep it open and looping...I'm that guy.) This is dumb, but....I miss WxStar 4000. Is that a bad thing?

I suppose this annual "safe space" must be made available for those who are too emotionally invested in a Mid Atlantic climo which is increasingly unfriendly to snow, so that they can pull out their hair and rend their garments over something that they can't control -- particularly because that stuff pollutes and clogs up the main obs/analysis threads. Too bad we can't make virtual cookies and virtual coloring books available here, too. I mean, I sort of get it...living here over 30 years, I used to get that upset over the continual snow-related rug-pulls as recently as 5-10 years ago. But I'm old now, and I just cannot give into that level of unneeded stress any more.

Low of 18 last night. Didn't think it would bottom out there.

We left Myrtle Beach this AM...when it was 33 and they were under a Freeze Warning...and crawled (literally, an 8-hour trip which usually takes 6!) back up I-95 for most of today, to return to a balmy 37 in MBY. Wowzers. It's going to be nearly as cold here in Myrtle Beach this coming week as it is going to be here in NoVA. That's mind-blowing. Folks down there aren't quite sure how to deal with that kind of cold...we saw numerous folks down there last evening "layering up," but even then they didn't seem to be ready for THAT level of cold.

That's gorgeous...nice pic. Currently 40/35 here, and not unexpectedly...cold rain. But I'm cool with that...we had an hour or so of white rain this A.M. Honestly, we don't expect any more (and often far less) than that down here at our piddling 92' elevation in the "desert" southeast of the NoVA 'burbs.

I get it. Y'all travel safely, and please share some pics this weekend if you can...I can only imagine it will be winter wonderland up that way. Video from MBY 20 min ago, but we're pretty consistently maintaining a light snow/rain mix since then -- 38/32 right now. https://photos.app.goo.gl/AEXoN64uKjxGFQzs7

We got diagonal snow...sizeable flakes, too. Dude, you're crazy driving that stretch today. Thought y'all would've left LAST night...

.21" since midday...wowzers!

Yeah. I've had all of the patio furniture and grill uncovered for literally weeks...can't remember the last time I put the covers on the furniture or grill. The upshot is that we got to enjoy all of late summer and early/mid autumn outside during ALL of Aug/Sep/Oct. I know we still need more rain...but I also know that we'll be called to pay for this weather at some point in the future -- likely in the Jan-Apr timeframe in the new calendar year, in the way of cool and wet.

Okay...Oct obs comment of the month so far. Just my dos centavos...

Quick shot from the backyard over the weekend...much of it is now turning that lovely shade of dull brown/dirty yellow. That myrtle on the right has never gotten that brilliant shade of red-orange ever...but when the sun hit that myrtle from late morning to late afternoon, the inside of the rooms on the backside of the house were painted in the most gorgeous reddish light. Stunning.

Aaaaaand...nada! Every one of those showers that we're coming in from our west fell apart when each one tried to cross I-95. Interesting. Was really hoping to measure some precip, since I just installed a new wx station in the backyard. Anyone to the west observe any showers, aside from @Weather Will?

Looks like that chance of showers is gonna verify shortly...based on those VERY dark clouds incoming at lower right.

And which general sky direction? Gonna try tonight...

So, this is similar (if even more muted than here) that I got last Thursday evening IMBY about 15 miles south of the District, with all of the light pollution of the city (mostly) ruining my pics. However, I feel like, with the extra townhomes, balconies, etc. appearing in your pics...yours are even more interesting. Thx for sharing.

Share pics!!!!!

I couldn't see a thing with the naked eye. And maybe iPhones only take a few seconds long shot...but I selected "Night Sight" mode on my Pixel, and because it was mounted on a tripod...waited a few seconds to go into "Astrophotography" mode, which take a 4-minute long shot...which is how (I believe) I captured the little bit of visible aurorae in the close-in NoVA burbs. With the city due north, it's damn near impossible here.

Damn...these morning lows are impressive, even for early/mid Oct. Of course, my backyard sensor's batteries for our indoor/outdoor thermometer crapped out, but I think we generally got down to 42/43 territory in these parts, based on neighbors' wx station readings. First order of business today...pulling up those saved listings for a "big boy" wx station. Enough of the babytown frolics with the cheaper equipment...

This x1000 -- I turned off all of our backyard/patio lights and still couldn't quite overcome the "airport runway" lighting of adjacent neighbors, let alone the damnable light pollution from the city. Just wasn't in the cards for me, since we need to focus on the northern half of the horizon...and the city is pretty much due north of us. This was the best that I could capture, after 25 takes, each about 3-4 minutes in length...and actually snapped this one looking northeast, FFS. OTOH, I thoroughly enjoyed everyone sharing your gorgeous pics here...also had friends from central PA, the MD/DE beaches AND SC send equally vivid pics. I guess I'm just gonna have to resort to "aurora chasing" in the future.

Believe me, I get it. Mrs V and I...it's a GREAT night if we can stay awake until 10:30 to finish MAYBE a couple streaming sitcoms OR a SINGLE drama episode. We're pathetic. But...I'm gonna set up my tripod in my severely light-polluted cul de sac later tonight and give it the old college try!