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March 2011 general obs/discussion thread


snowstormcanuck

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Snow will really begin to take a hit beginning today. The south winds overnight kept temps just above freezing here, bringing a bit of unexpected melt. MSP has reached 104 straight days of 1" or more of snowcover. Chanhassen NWS is at 122 straight days of 1" or more.

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Crys I was in the cities this weekend and could not believe the amount of snow still up there. Down here around la crosse there is not much left. By next monday we will be void of most all snow cover and my guess is the frost in the ground will be mostly gone as well.

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I know this was just a general statement, but I know Ive been one of the leaders of what has grown into quite a large pack who are praising this winter, so I figured I would lament at a little bit of irony. In stark contrast to ORD's 3", we have seen plenty of snow in that timeframe (DTW has seen 24.4" since feb 9th). DTW has also outsnowed ORD this winter by 67.5" to 57.0", as well as having a good 2 weeks more of snowcover. Basically in every aspect but one Detroit has had a better winter than Chicago. And that one aspect? The Feb 1st storm (ORD had 20.2" to DTWs 10.3"). The lack of an epic storm in SE MI is the only thing preventing most of my fellow SE MI posters from giving what has been an outstanding winter an A+ (like me), rather than giving it the A- or B+ that they are. Chicago got that epic storm, and even if you take away that storm, ORD STILL had 37 inches of additonal snow (which is right around climo) and below normal temps. Before Detroit was inundated with snow from Feb 1st onward, many SE MI posters (myself excluded) were giving the winter a very poor grade, C or worse, despite having slightly above normal snowfall and well above normal snowcover at the time.

Basically, my point is this: everyone has their own opinions and thats TOTALLY cool, Im definitely not knocking that AT ALL. But the recent stretch of great winters weve had in the midwest has really opened my eyes to how hard MOST (certainly not all) are wrt grading. When an area gets a near-climo snow winter, many posters in that region will be giving it a grade of C-, D, etc..and you will hear "worst winter ever" being used frequently.I shudder to think what would happen if we really DID have one of the worst winters ever (ala 1948-49 or something). It takes a near epic winter to earn a good grade from many and it takes the "Day After Tomorrow" for most to give an A+. Now...thats here in the weather community. The general public is the opposite, and thats ten times WORSE. No matter if its a harsh or easy winter, every time it snows they overreact as if they live in the middle of the snowiest place ever, the media hypes things, people are complaining everywhere...though you will always find fellow snowlovers in the general public, overall its NOT a pretty picture. In snowy winters like this, its even worse. Bottom line: When it comes to winter, whatever your stance may be (love it or hate it), it is a definite minority that are actually happy with the results.

It's funny how that works.

Chicago has seen very little snow beyond the epic 20" Groundhog Day Blizzard when they were slammed yet Detroit which was "screwed" relative to the Groundhog Day storm's epicness has since then been "destroyed" (another 25-30") with nickel and dimes, four of which were surprises (one of which was a "typical" winter storm), and only one busted too high.

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from DVN

WEDNESDAY NIGHT...WARM ADVECTION S-SW FLOW FROM THE SURFACE THROUGH

850 MB WILL BE UNDERWAY. 40 TO 50 KT JET AT 850 MB IS SHOWN FEEDING

MOISTURE...CURRENTLY MOVING NORTH FROM THE WESTERN GULF OF

MEXICO...INTO THE REGION. THIS...ALONG WITH UNSTABLE MID LEVEL LAPSE

RATES MAY SET THE STAGE FOR SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS AND HAVE

SLIGHT CHANCES OVER MOST OF THE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT. SOUTH WINDS

ALONG WITH MOISTURE ADVECTION AND CLOUD COVER SHOULD HOLD

TEMPERATURES NO COOLER THAN THE 40S.

BIG QUESTION FOR THURSDAY WILL BE CLOUD COVER AND AMOUNT OF

MIXING...AS WARM TEMPERATURES AT 850 MB WOULD SUPPORT HIGHS WELL

INTO THE 70S WITH SUFFICIENT MIXING. HOWEVER...WITH FORECAST

SOUNDINGS SHOWING PLENTY OF MOISTURE BELOW A WARM CAP AROUND 850 TO

700 MB...THERE COULD BE A GOOD DEAL OF STRATO CU TO LIMIT WARMING.

WILL HOLD MAXES IN THE 60S TO NEAR 70...NEAR THE WARM END OF MOS

SPREAD. MODELS DEPICT THE FRONT OVER OR JUST NORTHWEST OF THE NW

FORECAST AREA BY LATE AFTERNOON...AND WITH THIS UNCERTAINTY IN

TIMING...WILL KEEP LOW CHANCE POPS FOR SHOWERS ACROSS THE NORTHWEST.

MORE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS APPEAR LIKELY THURSDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY

FRIDAY AS THE FRONT AND A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE TRAVERSE THE REGION

AND HAVE HIGHER POPS CENTERED ON LATE THU NIGHT INTO FRI MORNING

PERIODS. HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE AND A FLAT RIDGE ALOFT THEN

FOLLOWS FOR FRI AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY...PROVIDING A BREAK OF

LITTLE OR NO PRECIPITATION CHANCES.

for ORD at 21z thursday showing the inversion and small saturated layer

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After a winter full of deep snow shots and more recently in March, very picturesque ones...the scene has shifted towards springier looking shots. After a winterlong snowcover from beginning of Dec to mid-March (small exception Jan 1-4, Feb 18-19)...depth is now 0. Still have the piles, but its sad to see such an awesome winter say goodbye. May still be good for an encore storm though :)

March 12th

2806-800.jpg

March 15th sunrise

2807-800.jpg

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FWIW...saw May snow here:

May 1, 1994 (T)

May 12, 1996 (T)

May 20, 2002 (T)

May 2, 2005 (T)

May 3, 2005 (0.2")

May 8, 2010 (T sleet not snow)

Measurable on May 3, 2005? By that time of the year I'd be sick of it. :)

And just to clarify, Toronto has seen T amounts of snow in May, as recently as 2010. It's just that I've never personally witnessed any as it typically occurs at night, and is typically wet, thus not leaving any remnants in the morning.

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Days like today is what one dreams about all yr. Ice fishing in the middle of march in the mid 50's with tomorrows last hurrah on the ice in the 60's! Sure is nice it doesn't get light until almost 7 and don't have to get up and leave the house with the robins singing at 5am to make it to the ice by sunrise. Holy ****... As I'm typing this the same set of momma and poppa ducks have arrived outside the house quacking away for the 3rd spring in a row...how crazy is that that they can remember where the goofs in the hood feed them.

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Days like today is what one dreams about all yr. Ice fishing in the middle of march in the mid 50's with tomorrows last hurrah on the ice in the 60's! Sure is nice it doesn't get light until almost 7 and don't have to get up and leave the house with the robins singing at 5am to make it to the ice by sunrise. Holy ****... As I'm typing this the same set of momma and poppa ducks have arrived outside the house quacking away for the 3rd spring in a row...how crazy is that that they can remember where the goofs in the hood feed them.

Probably not the smartest idea there Bubba. People have been falling through on snowmobiles already, even in northern MN.

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I was perusing the Groundhog Day Blizzard thread (for old times sake) and caught a whiff of the 84-192 DGEX, showing a decent swath of snow accumulations of nearly a foot in that time period from Northern Iowa through Central Wisconsin and Northern Michigan. I assume that's for the system early next week? The current forecasts predict all rain for the area, but I guess not all the models agree.

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Euro and Gfs now showing a decent snowstorm around day 7. A little confluence in canada not allowing it to cut so it could track along or just south of I80. We'll see how it pans out over the next few days

Only problem being that the Euro is way too warm at 850 for snow. The track would be great if it was January or February.

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March morning along the Minnesota River

Absoloutly incredible pic, you can just sense the serenity of the landscape, the gentle power of the majestic river and the waning look of winter in it's encore performence. You and Mitch are amazingly talented with the pics, please send more. I have that as my screen saver.

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Absoloutly incredible pic, you can just sense the serenity of the landscape, the gentle power of the majestic river and the waning look of winter in it's encore performence. You and Mitch are amazingly talented with the pics, please send more. I have that as my screen saver.

Thanks. I think the pic says more about the great scenery I have in the area than my actual photo skills.

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