J.Spin

I don’t follow temperatures that closely, so it was very surprising when you posted how the area was +7 for January and that’s still below freezing for the average high temp. I guess that shows how cold the average temperatures are up here. We’re still running right around average with respect to snowfall, so it doesn’t seem like the above average temperatures were overly detrimental to the snowfall. I much prefer these types of winters where the temperatures may be more marginal, but the storm track is nearby. We’ve had the occasional taste of subzero temperatures to keep things interesting, but they’ve moved on pretty quickly to get us back to something more comfortable for skiing.

Event totals: 0.2” Snow/0.04” L.E. I found 0.2” of snow on the boards this morning in association with this next system, which has been named Winter Storm Mabel. Details from the 6:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.2 inches New Liquid: 0.04 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 5.0 Snow Density: 20.0% H2O Temperature: 31.8 F Sky: Light Snow (1 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 16.0 inches

Early this morning I received a text about an upcoming Winter Weather Advisory for our county. There’s actually quite a patchwork of advisories out there in the area, with what looks like the lower valleys omitted. Our point forecast suggest a storm total somewhere in the 3-5” range, which seems consistent with the BTV NWS map.

Event totals: 1.1” Snow/0.04” L.E. Details from the 6:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.6 inches New Liquid: 0.03 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 20.0 Snow Density: 5.0% H2O Temperature: 29.5 F Sky: Mostly Cloudy Snow at the stake: 16.5 inches

Event totals: 0.5” Snow/0.01” L.E. The BTV NWS forecast discussion indicates that tonight’s snow is from the next northern stream shortwave, so this is being recorded as a different event from the one earlier today. Details from the 12:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.5 inches New Liquid: 0.01 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 50.0 Snow Density: 2.0% H2O Temperature: 31.1 F Sky: Light Snow (2 to 8 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 16.5 inches

Event totals: 0.3” Snow/0.03” L.E. Details from the 6:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.3 inches New Liquid: 0.03 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 10.0 Snow Density: 10.0% H2O Temperature: 33.1 F Sky: Cloudy Snow at the stake: 16.5 inches

Event totals: 1.3” Snow/0.07” L.E. Our next round of snow came into the area starting late last night with the current system known as Winter Storm Lamont. Details from the 6:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 1.3 inches New Liquid: 0.07 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 18.6 Snow Density: 5.4% H2O Temperature: 29.5 F Sky: Light Snow (1 to 2 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 18.5 inches

Here’s a snow update and a few pics from Bolton Valley yesterday. They reported a storm total of 22”, and we generally found about 18” of powder atop the base at most elevations. My son probed the total snowpack depth off piste down near the Timberline Base at ~1,500’ and found roughly 30” of snow. Using the Mt. Mansfield Stake as an estimate for snowpack near ridgeline elevations of 3,000’ to 4,000’, it’s probably up near the 60” mark. The only read downside to yesterday was the cold – it sounded like temperatures were just above 0 F down at the main base at ~2,100’, and up above 3,000’ you could really feel that it had dropped off even more. I’d guess it was several degrees below 0 F up there. Winds weren’t bad, but we still spent most of our time down in the Timberline elevations because the temperature was notably better and the snow was just as good.

I just checked on the snow depth at the Mt. Mansfield Stake, and it looks like Winter Storm Kade was just what was needed to finally catch things up to average: It seems like the potential is there for some additional snowfall this week with multiple systems in the queue, so hopefully Mother Nature can keep at least the usual snow depth increases going over the next several weeks.

The BTV NWS has a 24-hour snowfall totals map out for Winter Storm Kade – note that this is only for the second part of the storm though, so it doesn't include the first part from Thursday:

Below is the north to south listing of available snowfall totals from the Vermont ski areas that I’ve seen for Winter Storm Kade. It appears that Smugg’s topped the list with 29”. There are a few curious numbers relative to nearby resorts, but the biggest head scratcher is probably the ‘bush reporting 12” while MRG right next door is reporting 22”. Jay Peak: 19” Burke: 13” Smuggler’s Notch: 29” Stowe: 19” Bolton Valley: 22” Mad River Glen: 22” Sugarbush: 12” Middlebury: 18” Suicide Six: 4” Pico: 8” Killington: 8” Okemo: 4” Bromley: 11” Magic Mountain: 9” Stratton: 6” Mount Snow: 4”

Intermediate totals and observations are in the NNE thread, but the final numbers here at our site for Winter Storm Kade were: 17.0” Snow/1.86” L.E.

Event totals: 17.0” Snow/1.86” L.E. We’ve partly cleared out and the radar is quiet, so these snow and L.E. values appear to be the final totals for Winter Storm Kade here at our site. Details from the 6:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.8 inches New Liquid: 0.01 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 80.0 Snow Density: 1.3% H2O Temperature: 6.8 F Sky: Partly Cloudy Snow at the stake: 20.0 inches

Event totals: 16.2” Snow/1.85” L.E. Details from the 12:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 4.1 inches New Liquid: 0.13 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 31.5 Snow Density: 3.2% H2O Temperature: 14.9 F Sky: Light Snow (4 to 20 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 21.0 inches

I just did an intermediate check, and it looks like the snowfall this evening is running just shy of 1”/hr – at 9:00 P.M. there was 2.6” of snow that had accumulated since the 6:00 P.M. clearing.

You could really see the main part of the storm pretty much drying up on the radar, but instead of totally disappearing here, it just seemed to transition right over to northwest flow: I just had to pick up my son from work at Shaw’s here in town, and the visibility is still essentially as low as it was this afternoon. The snowfall probably isn’t quite as intense with respect to total liquid coming out of the sky, but the flakes are much larger, giving roughly the same result.

Event totals: 12.1” Snow/1.72” L.E. With this latest round of observations, the current system (Winter Storm Kade) has become the largest of the season with respect to snow accumulation at our site, passing the system we had in mid-January that brought 11.8” of snow. This one had already far surpassed that storm with respect to liquid equivalent though, as that one only had a total of 0.65” L.E. Details from the 6:00 P.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 5.2 inches New Liquid: 0.48 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 10.8 Snow Density: 9.2% H2O Temperature: 20.1 F Sky: Snow (2 to 15 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 17.0 inches

Actually, I just checked and the flakes are notably larger now. I see on the radar that the flow has shifted to much more westerly, so that may be part of the change.

It’s been similar here – I just checked and we’ve got 4 inches out there since I cleared, so that’s 7 inches for this part of the storm. The flakes have generally been on the smaller side, so it seems like the snow is coming in at a typical synoptic density.

Well remember, for the vast majority of people there, it simply means a 5 to 10-minute walk back to their dorm or apartment in town. Or, it just means not leaving their dorm or apartment at all for their afternoon class that’s been cancelled. For the small percentage of folks that live out of town it’s a huge hassle, but canceling classes (especially for the medical students who essentially have class all day, every day) is a big logistical issue. I definitely didn’t want to drive back and forth to the mountains in this though unless absolutely necessary, so my teaching assistants and I worked extra yesterday so we could cancel our midday meeting today. That was probably the best approach, but not everyone’s Friday schedule would have permitted that option.

Event totals: 6.9” Snow/1.24” L.E. The noontime core analysis contains some of the sleet that fell after this morning’s observations, so the density isn’t fully representative of the current snow that falling. The next analysis should give us an idea of that density. In any event, this last round of precipitation brought another half inch of liquid equivalent, so we simply flew past the 1” L.E. mark for the storm. Details from the 12:00 P.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 3.0 inches New Liquid: 0.50 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 6.0 Snow Density: 16.7% H2O Temperature: 25.5 F Sky: Snow (2 to 10 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 12.5 inches

We just got the call that UVM is closing as of 1:30 P.M. (a declared "state of campus emergency" due to blowing and drifting snow creating impassable roads and walkways and inaccessible parking lots), so it wasn’t a pre-planned full snow day, but even a half day closing here means that this is a pretty impressive event.

I was going to comment that it was probably still transitioning – I just checked their live webcam and they’re snowing at the main base.

Sleet had generally taken over from the snow grains as the predominant precipitation over the past hour or two, but now we’ve got snow mixing back in here in Waterbury.

I’ve got the latest BTV NWS projected snowfall map below – it does look like they pushed accumulations south a bit vs. yesterday evening. Around here it seems like just a couple inches of tweaking based on the latest guidance, but it could be more impactful in some areas.