October 29/30 Snowstorm OBS thread

[ski MRG]

He said he was freezing today, him and Kevin huddled spooning to keep warm tonight?

I saw a post from Blizz. Does he have power back or was he posting from somewhere on the lower flanks of Mt.Tolland?

[snowNH]

Dude trees grow through lines all around here. Even major tranny lines are now impinged by forest and that's your companies right of way. Mitigation not preventation, why is Mass so far ahead again like Irene. Coincidence? Think not. The CLP backwaters like a true politician, he through the Mets under the bus this AM now after the firestorm that created he said oh I meant.....

Ummm thats because the utilities' right of way for tranny lines (lol) only goes a certain width. They can't trees on another person's property.

[ski MRG]

Just found some 3g coverage, been going non stop here cleaning up roads. About 20 power crews rolled into town yesterday and have been going non stop to bring on the commerical districts and there starting to make head way with some town roads but others are just destroyed all poles snapped, wires on the ground. I keep hearing blame for CLP but wtf, I saw here this is a once in 150 year storm, what does the public expect? You think crews from Missouri will drive two or three days up here with all their equipment and then wait for a snow storm. watch it snow, then maybe there is damage bad enough to need them maybe not. Its New England, if you dont have a gennie or a woodstove and you have been here for more then a couple years I have no sympathy. Everyone moans when trees are cut down around here in CT so here ya go, enjoy, you can't have your cake and eat it too. The public is so out of touch with reality and common sense around here it hurts. Ok rant over but its been a long week and its only getting longer.

Be prepared. Glad I was a scout.

[CoastalWx]

Not for nothing, but I don't think this was a difficult forecast for places near 1K and up into sw NH...even interior srn NH. We all knew places near and above 1K were gonna shine..especially in mass and snh. I think we even commented on how the most complicated forecast was closer to the coast as we had more issues with either DS and boundary layer. I think people were GFS hugging the day before. That model finally bowed down like a peasant to the Euro in the final 24-36 hrs.

[snowNH]

Not for nothing, but I don't think this was a difficult forecast for places near 1K and up into sw NH...even interior srn NH. We all knew places near and above 1K were gonna shine..especially in mass and snh. I think we even commented on how the most complicated forecast was closer to the coast as we had more issues with either DS and boundary layer. I think people were GFS hugging the day before. That model finally bowed down like a peasant to the Euro in the final 24-36 hrs.

Euro/Euro Ensembles are King... Why do we even look at any another model?

[Ginx snewx]

I saw a post from Blizz. Does he have power back or was he posting from somewhere on the lower flanks of Mt.Tolland?

No his phone

[CoastalWx]

Just found some 3g coverage, been going non stop here cleaning up roads. About 20 power crews rolled into town yesterday and have been going non stop to bring on the commerical districts and there starting to make head way with some town roads but others are just destroyed all poles snapped, wires on the ground. I keep hearing blame for CLP but wtf, I saw here this is a once in 150 year storm, what does the public expect? You think crews from Missouri will drive two or three days up here with all their equipment and then wait for a snow storm. watch it snow, then maybe there is damage bad enough to need them maybe not. Its New England, if you dont have a gennie or a woodstove and you have been here for more then a couple years I have no sympathy. Everyone moans when trees are cut down around here in CT so here ya go, enjoy, you can't have your cake and eat it too. The public is so out of touch with reality and common sense around here it hurts. Ok rant over but its been a long week and its only getting longer.

I mentioned something very similar earlier. People need to know that this wasn't your run of the mill wet snow event in December or January. This was history...a once in a life time event. As much as some of the utilities are to blame...and I'm sure they are for a good part of the issue...this was just a freak of nature.

[weatherwiz]

I am so incredibly lucky that I had my internet/cable/phone restored this afternoon and for not losing power at all. Still 93% of West Hartford without power.

[CoastalWx]

Euro/Euro Ensembles are King... Why do we even look at any another model?

The GFS is fine in many events, but it exposed some of its flaws in this storm, and many of us caught it.

[snowNH]

The GFS is fine in many events, but it exposed some of its flaws in this storm, and many of us caught it.

Also, I learned that from KEV to WILL to ME... We do not want lows to come near ack... we actually want it closer to the BM and throw the QPF maps out the window cause we know we'll get into that deform.

[HoarfrostHubb]

Some areas need tree trimming...not talking about hacking down everyone's trees, but there have been areas where trimming was requested by the actual residences and ignored.

They actually do this pretty often here in my neighborhood since 2008

[CoastalWx]

Also, I learned that from KEV to WILL to ME... We do not want lows to come near ack... we actually want it closer to the BM and throw the QPF maps out the window cause we know we'll get into that deform.

That's a dangerous assumption. Sure you can get a deformation band with that track, but what about our tight bombs we had last year, track over the Cape? Using your logic, that deformation band would have got up to PYM and that's about it. It has to do more with the mid level features,size, and how they develop and close off.

[weatherwiz]

That's a dangerous assumption. Sure you can get a deformation band with that track, but what about our tight bombs we had last year, track over the Cape? Using your logic, that deformation band would have got up to PYM and that's about it. It has to do more with the mid level features,size, and how they develop and close off.

Yes.

if forecasting deform bands was that easy you would be able to pinpoint exactly where the highest snowfall totals would occur and such.

[HoarfrostHubb]

Other than the month, did this storm resemble anything recently? Dec 2005?

[Ginx snewx]

I mentioned something very similar earlier. People need to know that this wasn't your run of the mill wet snow event in December or January. This was history...a once in a life time event. As much as some of the utilities are to blame...and I'm sure they are for a good part of the issue...this was just a freak of nature.

I am just wondering who all these people who moan are? Our town has been trying to get trimming done for years. We were left a note asking for permission by CLP, we filled the form out, they never came back, sounds like more BS PR from the company that cut its maint budget 28 % to improve profit margins, funny the areas in private municipality owner areas were 100 % restored Monday

[Ginx snewx]

I am so incredibly lucky that I had my internet/cable/phone restored this afternoon and for not losing power at all. Still 93% of West Hartford without power.

Upload the best carnage pics

[N. OF PIKE]

Yep... I guess they'll know for the next October/early november snowstorm. This one was just so damn anomalous. No one knew what the hell was going on. With crews driving from Canada and down south, I'm thinking you'll need at least 2-3 day warning to mobilize them. NWS was calling for cloudy skies on Thursday lol.

you know what i find strange.....that the POLITICS of WX forecasting .....causes people to forecast more conservatively.

for instance if you think there is a good shot 12 inches of snow could fall....but instead forecast 6-10 ....then business's may not close and people don't lose as much money.....AND if you forecast the 12 inches and 4 out of the 5 times it falls...but the one time only 4 does....you will get reamed out because schools were cxcl'd and businesses closed for "nothing". and then pro mets job security can get effected. Lesson learned now you forecast conservatively and sure you may sacrifice a little accuracy for job security. bc lets' face it if a lil more snow fall than you forecast and you call for 5-9 but highlight hazardous travel biznesses already plan on plowing and they can make there own decisons now casting what is best for them.

[CoastalWx]

Other than the month, did this storm resemble anything recently? Dec 2005?

Well ACK gusted to 60kts, but it did not deepen as rapidly, nor exhibit the banding like we saw in Dec 2005. It defintely had some similar features like rapid increase of wind on the backside thanks to deepening that occurred after 06z on the 30th.

[weatherwiz]

Upload the best carnage pics

I posted the links to the albums I created on facebook.

I suppose I could go threw and pick some gens out.

I haven't even taken pics of the WORST hit areas in West Hartford yet. I'll have to walk there tomorrow and grab some shots.

[CoastalWx]

I am just wondering who all these people who moan are? Our town has been trying to get trimming done for years. We were left a note asking for permission by CLP, we filled the form out, they never came back, sounds like more BS PR from the company that cut its maint budget 28 % to improve profit margins, funny the areas in private municipality owner areas were 100 % restored Monday

Plenty of people up here complained of losing power. Some of it justified, and some of it was entitled suburban snob.... mad they could not watch desperate housewives. I can't speak for the CT situation.

[weatherwiz]

Upload the best carnage pics

Just uploaded some in the pics thread.

[Logan11]

Here is possibly the final obs from the storm. Over here in Dublin, Ireland a squally windswept rain developed today - related at least some to what was the old Noreaster as the cold front approaches. Oh and I went through the old low out near Newfoundland Monday night and made for a lot of bumpy turbulence.

Plenty of people up here complained of losing power. Some of it justified, and some of it was entitled suburban snob.... mad they could not watch desperate housewives. I can't speak for the CT situation.

[CoastalWx]

Here is possibly the final obs from the storm. Over here in Dublin, Ireland a squally windswept rain developed today - related at least some to what was the old Noreaster as the cold front approaches. Oh and I went through the old low out near Newfoundland Monday night and made for a lot of bumpy turbulence.

Enjoy some Smithwicks.

[HoarfrostHubb]

Up here the Nat Grid folks seem to have done a decent job getting Leominster back online (mostly). Their mayor was saying the damage was much worse than 2008. I did not see much but did not go into the neighborhoods.

[weatherwiz]

I feel really bad for the people who have been out of work and who aren't getting paid. That's going to be a major blow to many financially. I know it's really going to hurt me.

[CoastalWx]

Here is another loop. It's a slide bar which makes it a bit more cumbersome to use, but it's pretty cool.

http://mesonet.agron...-KBOX-WS-W-0011

Click on radar map.

[Ginx snewx]

Here is another loop. It's a slide bar which makes it a bit more cumbersome to use, but it's pretty cool.

http://mesonet.agron...-KBOX-WS-W-0011

Click on radar map.

epic Dryslut FML

[dendrite]

Here is another loop. It's a slide bar which makes it a bit more cumbersome to use, but it's pretty cool.

http://mesonet.agron...-KBOX-WS-W-0011

Click on radar map.

Here's the WU one I posted again.

[ski MRG]

I mentioned something very similar earlier. People need to know that this wasn't your run of the mill wet snow event in December or January. This was history...a once in a life time event. As much as some of the utilities are to blame...and I'm sure they are for a good part of the issue...this was just a freak of nature.

2nd for me. I remember that October 4th storm well. Almost as much snow but weeks earlier.

[ORH_wxman]

2nd for me. I remember that October 4th storm well. Almost as much snow but weeks earlier.

Were you living further west? That one didn't hit the east slope that much..but crushed the Taconics. It had a very sharp gradient where the snow was and wasn't because of the mid-level temps.

Chesterfield had 2.0", Cummington hill had 4" and Plainfield 3"...but then west in places like Lanesboro and Great Barrington had double digit totals.