Jump to content
  • Member Statistics

    17,606
    Total Members
    7,904
    Most Online
    ArlyDude
    Newest Member
    ArlyDude
    Joined

December 28-30 Winter Weather Observations/Discussion


WilkesboroDude

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 288
  • Created
  • Last Reply

I have a feeling that those along the very western edges of the foothills are in for a big surprize later tonight. Whether it's snow, sleet or zr, there will be some type of wintry precip, and given the current temp trends as well as models picking up on colder 850's than earlier thought it could be a decent amount.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No doubt. Sure is nice to see however. Sounding for KFQD show all levels above 0c. :(

Should be fun to watch this pan out

Yeah, me too. But, I think we have to take into account that the GFS is not really a high-resolution model. I think we'll still be lucky just to see a few flakes or sleet pellets fall from the sky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a feeling that those along the very western edges of the foothills are in for a big surprize later tonight. Whether it's snow, sleet or zr, there will be some type of wintry precip, and given the current temp trends as well as models picking up on colder 850's than earlier thought it could be a decent amount.

I just watched the futurecast model from WXII, bubble of all snow in Wilkes FWIW. Certainty won't expect that so I don't get my hopes up. Just looking for the sound of sleet tonight!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hmm somehow I didn't even see this thread, but posted about this event in another thread earlier today so I'lll copy and paste:

As moist as the pattern is, it only took a small change in temps to create a potential big problem on area roads. A cold trend is obvious on forecast models and projected soundings overnight for Western NC folks (even in eastern sections now on 12z and 18z runs), and that's all it has taken to flip the script on this system from all rain to some mixture of rain/sleet and snow. The problem is that with the timing (evening), roads like Highway 64 near Cashiers and Highlands could have problems tonight with some heavy snow/sleet in a few places for a time.

It looks like a front-end thump (probably 3-6 maybe 9 hour window) sleet/snow and poss. frz rain is going to happen IN SOME AREAS west and southwest of Asheville, especially along the Balsam Mountain area in and around the counties of Macon (Franklin), southern Jackson (Highlands, Glenville Mtns, Cashiers), Haywood (Clyde, Waynesville, Cataloochee Mtn, Canton areas) and even possibly in Buncombe in Western NC this evening/overnight between the hours of 6pm and 3am...

Checked forecast soundings and there is a decent cold layer sufficient for frozen for a time and some evap. cooling will cause temperatures to hover between 31 & 33 in the low-levels for the areas mentioned above. Also, the warm layer above 5,000ft could keep most places liquid or at least inconsistent frozen. Both NAM and GFS thermal profiles are similar. 0z model runs were only slightly warmer, but they were close enough in the mid-levels to mention this possibility as well, especially once some evaporative cooling is realized. 12z and 18z solutions have trended much colder with the sub-freezing layer yo around 0c to -2C in places. Also, precip. falling in areas where mid-level to low-level cold air gets trapped (could be around the Balsams) may be the wildcard for more sleet or snow than is expected in other forecasts. On the flip of that, heavy precip rates will eventually lead to a warming situation where the warm layer is eventually pulled down to the surface in spots... bullying the cold layer and using the moderate to heavy precip to make that happen.

The interesting part is that, due to the amount of moisture, this system could create sizable snowflakes for a time, especially if the mid-level to low-level cold gets trapped and doesn't get over-powered very quickly. I've seen this exact thing happen in the past for the areas/towns mentioned in Jackson, Transylvania, Haywood and Buncombe counties.

Since the layer of cold won't be all that established or cold, there will be some areas of all rain as well (no surprise of course)... then, the warm will win the battle in some areas (not others) by late night or very early Saturday

Unless you have 4-wheel drive, watch out on some of the highways in Western NC this evening and overnight, but rain will probably melt whatever falls early on in the evening.

edit: I wouldn't be surprised at all to hear reports of light sleet or some light-moderate snow mixing in with rain across Upstate counties of Oconee, Pickens and even portions of Greenville County this evening... even if this does happen for a short time, a changeover to all rain will occur in Upstate SC towns once a warmer layer air is pulled down vertically with some heavier precipitation rates later tonight

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sup Hoss. I also hope to see some flake action tonight but you know how it works aroud here. Thanks for asking about the fam.. Rollercoaster of sickness since last Friday that has got all three of us. My Little 3 1/2 year old is currtenly running a fever around 100 or so.. awesome..

Hey Mark! Man I hope you see some flakes tonight! How's the family?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sup Hoss. I also hope to see some flake action tonight but you know how it works aroud here. Thanks for asking about the fam.. Rollercoaster of sickness since last Friday that has got all three of us. My Little 3 1/2 year old is currtenly running a fever around 100 or so.. awesome..

hope she feels better Mark

and hope you see some flakeage... I think you will actually

Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 over 29.

Blacksburg is starting to breath a little heavier now...they usually don't make much distinction between the Piedmont and Foothills...unless its a noteworthy event.

Area forecast discussion

National Weather Service Blacksburg Virginia

700 PM EST Friday Dec 28 2012

Synopsis...

low pressure will lift northeast out of the Gulf Coast region

overnight...then move northeast and intensify along the middle

Atlantic and New England coastline Saturday into Sunday. This

storm will bring another wintry mix of precipitation to the

foothills and mountains tonight into Saturday...with a cold rain

across most of the Piedmont.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

36.4 over 32. How do you calculate wet bulb value? Or do you have to just find those off of soundings/charts somewhere?

A good rule of thumb is it's usually somewhere between your DP and temp. I use an addon for Chrome/Firefox which calculates it.

For Chrome

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/weather-watcher-live/migekhbneabjkfadmgpimohcoclbbcfp

For FireFox

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/weather-watcher-live/?src=search

Once installed go to Options ------> Station and put in your zip then choose your station

Then go to Toolbar Tip and make sure Wetbulb is checked. When you hover over the incon beside your address bar it will then tell you your wetbulb and anything else you have clicked though for some reason daily rainfall doesn't work for me.

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...