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Central PA Fall Thread II


JamieOber

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So we're headed to Texas tomorrow (I got game 4 world series tickets!), and I'm not sure what to do about our heater. Forecasts tend to all disagree on temps.

Anyone think I should turn the heater on and leave it running (well, running when it hits xx degrees inside) or will we be OK without it? We haven't needed it all yet this year.

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Just watched Weather World and they did their long shot segment whereby they use analog techniques to make a long range forecast.

The setup uses the fact that more than 70% of named Atlantic storms occurred before Sept. 13 and it's a La Nina year. As a result, they're predicting below average snowfall for PA this winter. Interesting is that one of their outstanding long shots yet to pass is one for a cold and snowy December. So their prediction then is quite below average snowfall for January and February.

Paul Knight is the man so we'll see.

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Just watched Weather World and they did their long shot segment whereby they use analog techniques to make a long range forecast.

The setup uses the fact that more than 70% of named Atlantic storms occurred before Sept. 13 and it's a La Nina year. As a result, they're predicting below average snowfall for PA this winter. Interesting is that one of their outstanding long shots yet to pass is one for a cold and snowy December. So their prediction then is quite below average snowfall for January and February.

Paul Knight is the man so we'll see.

Let's hope they're as accurate as their long shot prediction was for July (below normal temperatures), we'll have snow on the ground til May, haha.

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Just watched Weather World and they did their long shot segment whereby they use analog techniques to make a long range forecast.

The setup uses the fact that more than 70% of named Atlantic storms occurred before Sept. 13 and it's a La Nina year. As a result, they're predicting below average snowfall for PA this winter. Interesting is that one of their outstanding long shots yet to pass is one for a cold and snowy December. So their prediction then is quite below average snowfall for January and February.

Paul Knight is the man so we'll see.

Well, thy're 4 for 6 on those forecasts so we shall see. BTW in the same segment Uncle Paul mentioned that in many of the analog years they used, March had above average snowfall.

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On the subject of winter outlooks, NOAA just released theirs today. Nothing too bold highlighted for our area, perhaps a bit wetter than average and equal chances temp wise. Cold probs focused over the northern plains and warmer and drier than average continuing to remain where its not needed over Texas and the deep south. When compared to the Accuweather forecast, NOAA's looks pretty similar, albeit a more generalized version without the superlatives...which is to be expected. NOAA does not specifically say in their writeup they have about whether things are front end loaded, it'll get warmer/colder the second half of winter, etc.. but they do mention for us in the Mid Atlantic and NE about the Arctic Oscillation as a wild card for possibly a bit colder and snowier weather. Remember last winter was also predicted by some to be front end loaded to only to have a return of the 09/10 version of the -NAO/AO followed by a +PNA regime which kept it cold all the way into mid February before we saw any kind of warm weather. Obviously, we don't need levels of the the AO and especially NAO to be so exceptionally negative to get a good winter pattern around these parts. And i'd rather not see things go that negative unless I were living on or inside I-95.

At any rate, NOAA outlook can be found HERE

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CTP pulling the trigger on any enhanced precip rates will have snow mixing in at 2k feet.

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...THICK STRATO CU WILL CONTINUE TO BLANKET THE WESTERN MTNS OF PENNTHROUGH TONIGHT WITH WIDESPREAD SHOWERS. THE HEIGHT OF THE WET BULBZERO WILL AVERAGE AROUND 1500 FT AGL ACROSS THE LAUREL HIGHLANDSLATE TODAY THROUGH THE MID MORNING FRIDAY. HEAVIER SHOWERS WILLLIKELY BE MIXED WITH WET SNOW AT ELEVATIONS G.E. 2000 FT MSL...ANDPAINTED THE WEATHER GRIDS TO HAVE THIS MIXED PRECIP SPECKLED ACROSSTHE HIGHER TERRAIN.

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Go look at the 0Z GFS from 180-192 - first fantasy storm of the year. scooter.gif

00z Euro has a pretty significant snowfall in the day 6-8 range as well, hours ~156-180.

Enough for the NWS to mention it, too. Probably still a fantasy at this point-especially in the "lowlands" below 2k ft-but interesting nonetheless.

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Wayne Brady is pissed.

00z Euro has a pretty significant snowfall in the day 6-8 range as well, hours ~156-180.

Enough for the NWS to mention it, too. Probably still a fantasy at this point-especially in the "lowlands" below 2k ft-but interesting nonetheless.

NWS:

THE FORECAST UNCERTAINTY RAMPS UP BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK...ASOPERATIONAL GFS/EC BOTH SHARPEN TROUGH OVR THE EASTERNCONUS...DRAWING GULF MOISTURE UP THE EAST COAST. OPERATIONAL ECACTUALLY COLD ENOUGH TO SUPPORT AN EARLY SEASON SNOWFALL OVR THEAPPALACHIANS LATE NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER...BOTH GEFS AND EC ENSEMBLESUGGEST A LESS DRAMATIC SCENARIO IS MORE LIKELY...WITH SFC LOWTRACK WELL OFF THE E COAST.

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A phase with the Texas vortmax would be ideal, but even barring that, a slight shift northwestward of the coastal low would give us more snow.

Ah, ok. I just have to wonder if we could afford much of a NW trend with temps pretty marginal (although you said slight!). I know I shouldn't be scrutinizing the models so much this early but I'm a product of the SE forum, where we specialize in grasping at straws.

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This run leaves a lot of energy back. I would think this is actually a pretty big step back from the previous run?

Well it's a "pretty big step back" from the 00z for sure, which doesn't hang a chunk of vorticity back over Texas. But details like that are going to change from run to run... we should expect that. It's not as if we're looking at something three days out... there are going to be pretty big shifts with each new model run.

I'm wondering if the tropical development could be inducing a bit of a fujiwhara-type deal with the energy over Texas, forcing it southward and keeping it over Texas instead of allowing it to move along with the rest of the midlatitude flow. Regardless, these kinds of details are essentially unknowable right now.

Some good news is that the 12z ensembles have continued the trend of stronger development offshore, and moving it further north and west. Indeed, the 12z ensemble mean, were it to shift just a bit further northwest, would be ideal for us.

Compare the 12z ensemble mean:

http://raleighwx.americanwx.com/models/gfsensemble/12zgfsensemble850mbTSLPUS168.gif

With the 06z:

http://raleighwx.americanwx.com/models/gfsensemble/06zgfsensemble850mbTSLPUS168.gif

And the 00z:

http://raleighwx.americanwx.com/models/gfsensemble/00zgfsensemble850mbTSLPUS180.gif

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Ah, ok. I just have to wonder if we could afford much of a NW trend with temps pretty marginal (although you said slight!). I know I shouldn't be scrutinizing the models so much this early but I'm a product of the SE forum, where we specialize in grasping at straws.

Without that additional energy from the Texas system, I think a weaker low would mean the area that gets a decent snowfall would be very thin, with too little moisture to the west and too much warmth to the east. That's why I'd like to see that Texas vortmax playing a bigger role--a stronger low would be able to pull in more cold air and throw in more moisture, and then it would all be down to the track of the low.

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