December 2010

[msp]

You were literally 3 miles or so from me. My sister's house actually backs up to that state park. Did you enjoy the hike?

Yeah, I sure did. Like I mentioned more fully in OT, we ran out of time for the hike to the top, so we just walked around a small lake there beneath the Pinnacle. Real pretty country. We plan to go back sometime for the long trail and mountain view of Charlotte.

[weatherfide]

Currently 42.0 degrees in Fayetteville, ga. Dropped 8 in the last hour.

[strongwxnc]

**Brining back the OBS thread since the storm has moved on out of my neck of the woods**

Sitting WNC with less than 4" now (had 5" this morning) and the wind is really picking up. Had a few limbs break last night. One large limb that broke over our chicken's cage. Under a Lake wind Advisory until tomorrow evening here in the foothills.

Sitting at 30.2 after a high of 32.0 and a low of 28.2

[Pilotwx]

Is La nina moving into neutral?

If so then I think we have perfect timing for more winter storms to come this winter (Just getting started).

With AO perfect for us Eastern Folks, or do you think it was a massive tank of the AO that contributed to this storm and it was a fluke?

Just wanted to get idea of what we might be looking for the rest of the winter, and thoughts of where we might be going?

[Carvers Gap]

'Bout time for a January thread. Mods, do we go finish the month before beginning a new one. I don't want to start it. We just need one. After reading DT's Facebook comment in regards to January's above normal forecasts being in trouble, might be time to begin that discussion. Interesting weather pattern potentially shown late in the first week of January. No storm, but a full latitude trough gets my attention...along w/ the potential for returned blocking after the New Year. Whether the trough can get into the south is the unknown for me. However, for folks in TN that is a great set-up. Time will tell. See the Euro 12z(hrs 192 -240) and the 12z GFS(other runs have hinted as well). Today's ensemble mean teleconnections also show the NAO struggling to move to neutral. The AO, which had been forecast to go positive, is now showing signs of not making it to that state. The PNA is forecast to go positive and then trend towards neutral/negative. Maybe the models just don't have a handle on the pattern change.

[Carvers Gap]

I did mention in another thread that December '89 haunts me(may be worded too dramatically) due to what followed in January...heat. Here is a link to Kingsport, TN, and their weather for December 1989. We have had three small to moderate snows this year, just like '89. The snows even happened at nearly the same time during the month. December '89 observations are first followed by Tri-Cities, TN, weather data for December 2010. These are close comparisons.

http://www1.ncdc.noa...6AB3CFCC6B0.pdf

000

CXUS54 KMRX 260800

CF6TRI

PRELIMINARY LOCAL CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA (WS FORM: F-6)

STATION: TRI-CITIES ASOS

MONTH: DECEMBER

YEAR: 2010

LATITUDE: 36 28 N

LONGITUDE: 82 24 W

TEMPERATURE IN F: :PCPN: SNOW: WIND :SUNSHINE: SKY :PK WND

================================================================================

1 2 3 4 5 6A 6B 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

12Z AVG MX 2MIN

DY MAX MIN AVG DEP HDD CDD WTR SNW DPTH SPD SPD DIR MIN PSBL S-S WX SPD DR

================================================================================

1 50 26 38 -3 27 0 0.18 0.1 0 10.4 20 230 M M 7 18 26 290

2 38 23 31 -10 34 0 0.00 0.0 0 4.9 13 240 M M 6 15 250

3 48 30 39 -1 26 0 T T 0 2.8 15 270 M M 6 21 260

4 38 27 33 -7 32 0 0.31 0.6 0 2.8 15 310 M M 8 14 21 310

5 35 26 31 -9 34 0 T 0.4 0 8.9 16 290 M M 10 18 23 280

6 28 17 23 -16 42 0 0.01 0.1 0 11.6 22 280 M M 9 8 30 310

7 27 18 23 -16 42 0 T T T 9.0 17 270 M M 10 24 260

8 30 16 23 -16 42 0 T T 0 2.9 8 220 M M 6 13 320

9 39 12 26 -13 39 0 0.00 0.0 0 0.1 5 70 M M 3 1 6 230

10 48 24 36 -2 29 0 0.00 0.0 0 2.5 20 230 M M M 25 250

11 52 28 40 2 25 0 0.00 0.0 0 3.8 13 150 M M M 18 160

12 46 21 34 -4 31 0 0.37 1.3 T 9.4 22 250 M M M 148 29 280

13 22 17 20 -18 45 0 0.03 1.3 2 13.7 21 290 M M M 189 29 280

14 23 11 17 -20 48 0 T T 2 8.5 15 260 M M 4 20 240

15 27 5 16 -21 49 0 0.01 T 1 0.5 6 40 M M 6 128 9 40

16 37 23 30 -7 35 0 1.37 0.2 1 1.5 10 270 M M 10 16 13 270

17 37 32 35 -2 30 0 0.00 0.0 0 4.6 12 260 M M 10 18 14 260

18 39 30 35 -2 30 0 T T 0 1.5 7 330 M M 10 1 7 330

19 34 19 27 -9 38 0 0.00 0.0 0 1.0 9 350 M M 7 9 350

20 38 15 27 -9 38 0 T T 0 0.0 6 290 M M 6 18 16 240

21 38 31 35 -1 30 0 0.01 T 0 0.2 5 50 M M M 1248 7 60

22 48 32 40 4 25 0 0.03 0.0 0 6.3 20 340 M M M 128 25 320

23 33 28 31 -5 34 0 T T 0 8.4 16 330 M M M 22 320

24 38 28 33 -3 32 0 0.00 0.0 0 2.8 10 350 M M 9 13 340

25 34 27 31 -4 34 0 0.15 1.2 1 2.6 12 10 M M 10 18 16 350

================================================================================

SM 927 566 871 0 2.47 5.2 120.7 M 137

================================================================================

AV 37.1 22.6 4.8 FASTST M M 8 MAX(MPH)

MISC ----> # 22 280 # 30 310

================================================================================

NOTES:

# LAST OF SEVERAL OCCURRENCES

COLUMN 17 PEAK WIND IN M.P.H.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA (WS FORM: F-6) , PAGE 2

STATION: TRI-CITIES ASOS

MONTH: DECEMBER

YEAR: 2010

LATITUDE: 36 28 N

LONGITUDE: 82 24 W

[TEMPERATURE DATA] [PRECIPITATION DATA] SYMBOLS USED IN COLUMN 16

AVERAGE MONTHLY: 29.9 TOTAL FOR MONTH: 2.47 1 = FOG OR MIST

DPTR FM NORMAL: -8.0 DPTR FM NORMAL: -0.26 2 = FOG REDUCING VISIBILITY

HIGHEST: 52 ON 11 GRTST 24HR 1.95 ON 30- 1 TO 1/4 MILE OR LESS

LOWEST: 5 ON 15 3 = THUNDER

SNOW, ICE PELLETS, HAIL 4 = ICE PELLETS

TOTAL MONTH: 5.2 INCHES 5 = HAIL

GRTST 24HR 1.3 ON M 6 = FREEZING RAIN OR DRIZZLE

GRTST DEPTH: 2 ON 14,13 7 = DUSTSTORM OR SANDSTORM:

VSBY 1/2 MILE OR LESS

8 = SMOKE OR HAZE

[NO. OF DAYS WITH] [WEATHER - DAYS WITH] 9 = BLOWING SNOW

X = TORNADO

MAX 32 OR BELOW: 6 0.01 INCH OR MORE: 10

MAX 90 OR ABOVE: 0 0.10 INCH OR MORE: 5

MIN 32 OR BELOW: 25 0.50 INCH OR MORE: 1

MIN 0 OR BELOW: 0 1.00 INCH OR MORE: 1

[HDD (BASE 65) ]

TOTAL THIS MO. 871 CLEAR (SCALE 0-3) 1

DPTR FM NORMAL 205 PTCLDY (SCALE 4-7) 8

TOTAL FM JUL 1 1673 CLOUDY (SCALE 8-10) 9

DPTR FM NORMAL 77

[CDD (BASE 65) ]

TOTAL THIS MO. 0

DPTR FM NORMAL 0 [PRESSURE DATA]

TOTAL FM JAN 1 1455 HIGHEST SLP M ON M

DPTR FM NORMAL 499 LOWEST SLP 29.57 ON 12

Here is the link to January 1990: http://www1.ncdc.noa...8D26F274C4B.pdf

So, sure enough the 18z comes in fairly warm. But there is going to be much model mayhem IMO as the models try to get the pattern that follows the thaw next weekend. As most folks say, look for the trend. I just thought I'd add these to balance my earlier thoughts. Also, analogs only can take you so far. The weather doesn't have to follow a model or analog.

[JQPublic]

Just got home and this snow was a pleasure to shovel...nice and fluffy

[Lookout]

It's been an impressive december

In Fahrenheit

[Carvers Gap]

It's been an impressive december

A picture is worth a thousand words, and those graphics tell the story. Pretty amazing to see Maine above normal. Was it the December 1950 analog that showed almost the same thing? I think we are around -8.0 F at KTRI for the month. Even w/ warmer temps later this week, the final mean will be impressive. This will be a month to tell my kids' kids about.

[BullCityWx]

If someone had told me that I'd have 5" of snow and would be making a run at the coldest December ever back in June, I'd have called you a moron.

[NCSNOW]

Checking the Euro and GFS Ensembles, NAO stays negative as far as the eye can see, which IMO is great news. Hopefully we want get the SE Ridge woke up after it tries to visit this weekend. The hardest thing in trying to see how the next 2 months of winter are gonna turn out is figuring out how the blocking is gonna set up after this weekend. Will it be more east based or west based? Id love to get it locked back in the same position weve had for all of December. Yea its hard to get moisture on NW flow on this side of apps, but the pacific is becoming more favorable each day.

[strongwxnc]

For us GSP folks, what is the link that shows (when it is ready) the total from this last storm? I can never find it.

Did not loose any more limbs last night as the temps dipped to the lower 20's. I think the winds died off alittle.

[iceman]

If someone had told me that I'd have 5" of snow and would be making a run at the coldest December ever back in June, I'd have called you a moron.

[WidreMann]

If someone had told me that I'd have 5" of snow and would be making a run at the coldest December ever back in June, I'd have called you a moron.

And in a strong La Nina, no less. I know La Nina's sometimes have cooler early winters, but not like this, and not with the insane amount of blocking we've had. Strange year indeed.

[Isopycnic]

.

If someone had told me that I'd have 5" of snow and would be making a run at the coldest December ever back in June, I'd have called you a moron.

My temperature mean is 31.7f at my house. I am also at -1.4f for the yearly departure from normal (-10.2f for the month).

I am also down -5.58" for rainfall this year...

[Jalba]

For us GSP folks, what is the link that shows (when it is ready) the total from this last storm? I can never find it.

Did not loose any more limbs last night as the temps dipped to the lower 20's. I think the winds died off alittle.

Not Sure exactly which topic we're using for main discusson, but I found this

[Lookout]

If someone had told me that I'd have 5" of snow and would be making a run at the coldest December ever back in June, I'd have called you a moron.

Especially since so many forecasts had december in the the southeast at much above normal. Epic bust for some for this month.

Speaking of cold, deadhorse alaska right now is -44 with a windchill of -71! Ouch.

[Isopycnic]

Especially since so many forecasts had december in the the southeast at much above normal. Epic bust for some for this month.

Speaking of cold, deadhorse alaska right now is -44 with a windchill of -71! Ouch.

That is some horse killin weather right there.

[strongwxnc]

That is correct. Thanks man!

Not Sure exactly which topic we're using for main discusson, but I found this

[eyewall]

I would love to find a nice vis satellite pic from this morning.

[NEGa]

I would love to find a nice vis satellite pic from this morning.

i think lookout posted on in the other christmas storm thread...i just saw it on the last page

this storm brings over 25" of snow imby for 2010 and adds (as of tomorrow) 4 more days of snow on the ground

so now that the excitement is over, and warmer temps are on the way, whats up with this chance of freezing rain on thur morning before changing over to rain

[Carvers Gap]

12z Euro still shows a healthy block over Greenland at 240.

[DCMetroWinston]

I would not bet against the return of the block.

[BIG FROSTY]

Just got home, What's up with this ZR chance ? I assume warm front overunninng ? Although it is a very slight chance.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF FREEZING

RAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S. LIGHT AND VARIABLE

WINDS. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 20 PERCENT.

THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER

40S. LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S.

[burgertime]

I would love to find a nice vis satellite pic from this morning.

Might of been posted but these are courtesy of Matthew East's Facebook account.

[rosie]

Sitting a a frosty 4 degrees now, should get to 40 today (I hope!)

[RevDodd]

I hadn't seen this posted yet. If so, my apologies...

[Isopycnic]

Not Sure exactly which topic we're using for main discusson, but I found this

The 6" contour is a little off.

[BIG FROSTY]

16.8 in Frosty Land this morning. Hope everyone has a great day !

[Kevinhmd]

3.2 at my cabin this morning. Did it get moved to Alaska? Wow, cold!