Fun AFD from CTP this morning
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
Yesterday`s signal for a front end snow thump has materialized
with areas from the Laurels through the WC and C Mountains
having seen a quick 2 to 5 inch accumulation this morning.
Dramatic snowfall rates and reflectivities have accompanied
the heavy snow, with some of the largest aggregates I`ve seen
occasionally tripping DP hydrometeor hail classifiction.
The warm air is on the move and messy mix to to sleet and rain
is occurring from south to north, slowest over the Laurel
Highlands and WC Mountains. Here at Innovation Park southeast of
campus, we have repeatedly gone from heavy snow to mixed sleet
and rain and back again several times. Strong forcing will keep
this back and forth transition going through midday, with
additional coatings of high SLR slush across the central and
south. Best additional snow accumulations will be north of I-80
with again a general 2 to 5 inches expected before the warm air
wins by late afternoon.
9:15 AM: 4.3 inches measured at Penn State Altoona and a 5.4"
from our Glencoe observer from this morning`s burst of heavy
snowfall. Transition to sleet and rain occurring central and
south with minimal additional snow accumulations south of I-80,
but we`ll see similar 2 to 4 inch amounts up to parts of McKean
and Potter through the midday hours. No additional updates at
this time.
805 AM: Doubled snow amounts into the central mountains
as 1.5-2" per hour rates are lifting across the area. KCCX
WSR-88D sampling of aggregates bumped hydrometeor classification
into hail, a first that I`ve seen. In the bizarre category, a
large flock of starlings simultaneously flew over our office at
Innovation Park (between State College and UNV). Very possible
that this large biological target was being sampled along with
the heavy snow. A general 2 to 5" range is now being mentioned
for the Winter Weather Advisory, which we`ve expanded to include
Elk, Cameron, Potter, McKean and Clinton Counties