Jump to content
  • Member Statistics

    17,586
    Total Members
    7,904
    Most Online
    LopezElliana
    Newest Member
    LopezElliana
    Joined

First Freeze Contest


WxUSAF

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 114
  • Created
  • Last Reply

How can it be 30 in North Potomac, 33 here, at 11PM, and still be 44 at DCA? Thats just unfair, even inside the beltway probably reaches the upper 20's tonight in spots.

One PWS up by Langley got into the upper 20s, but we really flattened overnight. My low was 37.3°. The nearest VP2 is a mile away and got to 30.0°.

Here's an indication of how much microclimate matters in calm conditions. This is the view from my backyard this morning - the soccer field is covered with frost, my yard has absolutely none. Elevation difference? About 25 ft.

post-1746-0-46280700-1320581486.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like H2O's bondfires did the trick

One PWS up by Langley got into the upper 20s, but we really flattened overnight. My low was 37.3°. The nearest VP2 is a mile away and got to 30.0°.

Here's an indication of how much microclimate matters in calm conditions. This is the view from my backyard this morning - the soccer field is covered with frost, my yard has absolutely none. Elevation difference? About 25 ft.

post-1746-0-46280700-1320581486.jpg

Wow thats incredible, you'd think the atmosphere would be well mixed? Somehow made it to 28.7 here and I'm right next to the to the Potomac.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At least you were spared from shoveling the sidewalk.

Felt like I shoveled 12" of leaves today. And yet somehow, most of the bastards are still on the trees.

Wow thats incredible, you'd think the atmosphere would be well mixed? Somehow made it to 28.7 here and I'm right next to the to the Potomac.

Mornings with calm winds and clear skies are not generally not well-mixed. This will be my first winter with the VP2, and it'll be really interesting to see how cold it really can go sitting up on our little ridge. At least the frost/no-frost has given me further confirmation that the readings are correct and there is no siting issue (also have a cheaper wireless thermometer that sits in the backyard, very closely tracks the Davis).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Who knows...models have been hinting at a decent cold shot post-Thanksgiving (but still transient), so could still happen this month. Either way, I think nw baltimore wx has it pretty locked up. I'll have to look and see if anyone else could possibly win if DCA goes really late.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although I'll wait until DCA actually hits 32F to "officially" announce it and post scores, etc..., nw baltimore wx has won the contest since no one else can beat him (her?), regardless of when DCA hits. 3 people posted later dates for DCA than nw baltimore wx, but not by a sufficient margin to overcome his (her?) lead.

I think DCA has a pretty good chance to hit this Friday or Saturday morning, since most of the surrounding area should be able to comfortably drop into the 20s (at least on Friday). If not then, probably looking at a December date.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although I'll wait until DCA actually hits 32F to "officially" announce it and post scores, etc..., nw baltimore wx has won the contest since no one else can beat him (her?), regardless of when DCA hits. 3 people posted later dates for DCA than nw baltimore wx, but not by a sufficient margin to overcome his (her?) lead.

I think DCA has a pretty good chance to hit this Friday or Saturday morning, since most of the surrounding area should be able to comfortably drop into the 20s (at least on Friday). If not then, probably looking at a December date.

2nd, 3rd place? Looks like my RIC and DCA dates will be head on. I think my DCA guess in early October was pretty good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although I'll wait until DCA actually hits 32F to "officially" announce it and post scores, etc..., nw baltimore wx has won the contest since no one else can beat him (her?), regardless of when DCA hits. 3 people posted later dates for DCA than nw baltimore wx, but not by a sufficient margin to overcome his (her?) lead.

I think DCA has a pretty good chance to hit this Friday or Saturday morning, since most of the surrounding area should be able to comfortably drop into the 20s (at least on Friday). If not then, probably looking at a December date.

Thanks for the unofficial win, and incidentally, I am a he. :pimp: I guess I don't post enough though, huh?

For the most part, the picks were luck, but as much as I wouldn't put a bet on the details of a long range model, the gfs wasn't bad when I looked at it in early October to make my guesses. I used the long range to get a general idea of the timing for cold front passages, extrapolated beyond the 15 day hoping the pattern would continue, and then used a little climo for DCA since it's always tough to get a freeze there relative to the general area (BB acting surprised when DCA was 15 degrees warmer than his backyard was pretty funny). You might notice that my picks are on 10 day cycles, and I got really lucky when RIC only hit 33 in late October. If DCA gets to freezing late this week, my picks will look ridiculously good on paper, but I make no pretenses. It was luck.

Using the same unorthodox method, I think the first snow chance might be with the storm around the 16th. A non-scientific guess and likely wrong, but at least now you know why I spend most of my time reading and not posting. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the unofficial win, and incidentally, I am a he. :pimp: I guess I don't post enough though, huh?

For the most part, the picks were luck, but as much as I wouldn't put a bet on the details of a long range model, the gfs wasn't bad when I looked at it in early October to make my guesses. I used the long range to get a general idea of the timing for cold front passages, extrapolated beyond the 15 day hoping the pattern would continue, and then used a little climo for DCA since it's always tough to get a freeze there relative to the general area (BB acting surprised when DCA was 15 degrees warmer than his backyard was pretty funny). You might notice that my picks are on 10 day cycles, and I got really lucky when RIC only hit 33 in late October. If DCA gets to freezing late this week, my picks will look ridiculously good on paper, but I make no pretenses. It was luck.

Using the same unorthodox method, I think the first snow chance might be with the storm around the 16th. A non-scientific guess and likely wrong, but at least now you know why I spend most of my time reading and not posting. ;)

:lol: Hey you know at heart I deserved the win, everyone was in the 20's that morning except DCA. Forgot how potent the microclimate actually is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Finally DCA had a freeze (officially on Saturday) and has had one yesterday and today as well. So, we can kill this contest.

Winner: nw baltimore wx - 34 points

Runner-up: H2O - 38 points

3rd place: Midlo Snow Maker - 40 points

Midlo had IAD and BWI dead-on, while H2O missed both by 1 day and nw balt wx missed both by 2 days. But nw balt wx's better RIC forecast was the difference over Midlo and his DCA forecast bested H2O. The closest forecasts for DCA were by TeaysValley and LongRanger, both missing by "only" 18 days.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...