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The Second Wave: Dec 10 (Model Discussion)


stormtracker

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Are the LWX snow maps computer generated or man made? What makes them so poor?

they are based off the zones i think.  though they just tweeted they are forecasting 3-5" and the new map says 2-4" everywhere.  oy. 

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I'm having a hard time deciding whether I would have posted an advisory or a warning for DC area if I were LWX.  On one hand, it's good in many circumstances to be conservative and can always upgrade later if models/data warrant.  

 

On the other hand, the snow is expected to begin during the am rush, and if people think it's "only an advisory" they could downplay it and go out - that'd really gum things up under a heavy snow band.  It's not just about accums, it's also about the rates, and it looks as if someone could see up to 2"/hr and if that happens during rush hour, that could be pretty bad.

 

This looks to me as a high-end advisory event, and wherever the heaviest band sets up, should be upgraded to warning.

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I think 11:1 is climo..according to Wes...I could see similar with this system assuming all snow...maybe even a tad higher

It might be. I have all the snowstorms with ratios on a sheet at home. For whatever reason the conversation always strikes me as unnecessary but maybe I'm a grumpy old man. 

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I'm having a hard time deciding whether I would have posted an advisory or a warning for DC area if I were LWX.  On one hand, it's good in many circumstances to be conservative and can always upgrade later if models/data warrant.  

 

On the other hand, the snow is expected to begin during the am rush, and if people think it's "only an advisory" they could downplay it and go out - that'd really gum things up under a heavy snow band.  It's not just about accums, it's also about the rates, and it looks as if someone could see up to 2"/hr and if that happens during rush hour, that could be pretty bad.

 

This looks to me as a high-end advisory event, and wherever the heaviest band sets up, should be upgraded to warning.

 

Def agree and good post.... I could see LWX going WSW tomorrow morning in their 330am update... but by then some people don't check and assume... going to be an interesting next 12 hrs

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I think 11:1 is climo..according to Wes...I could see similar with this system assuming all snow...maybe even a tad higher

 

I shouldn't have said likely. A fair possibility is better wording. 

 

Rates will help. It's a good bit of precip in a short window verbatim. I might be wrong but lower rates and lulls cut down on totals. Compaction, etc. 

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It might be. I have all the snowstorms with ratios on a sheet at home. For whatever reason the conversation always strikes me as unnecessary but maybe I'm a grumpy old man. 

 

I think we had about 8:1 yesterday before we flipped here in DC

 

yeah...probably 7 or 8....I had 7:1 in 1/26/2011

 

so maybe 10:1 is reasonable

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I'm having a hard time deciding whether I would have posted an advisory or a warning for DC area if I were LWX.  On one hand, it's good in many circumstances to be conservative and can always upgrade later if models/data warrant.  

 

On the other hand, the snow is expected to begin during the am rush, and if people think it's "only an advisory" they could downplay it and go out - that'd really gum things up under a heavy snow band.  It's not just about accums, it's also about the rates, and it looks as if someone could see up to 2"/hr and if that happens during rush hour, that could be pretty bad.

 

This looks to me as a high-end advisory event, and wherever the heaviest band sets up, should be upgraded to warning.

 

For all practical purposes, I think they should've gone with 3-6" and a warning even if the higher end is a stretch, just so that the public would take it more seriously since the timing is atrocious.

 

I don't want this to become Commuteageddon part II.

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LWX talks about banding and poss. upgrades

 

LATEST GUIDANCE SHOWS THE POTENTIAL FOR MESOSCALE BANDING...WHICH
WILL CAUSE HIGH PRECIPITATION RATES. HOWEVER...CERTAINTY IN EXACTLY
WHERE THAT BAND SETS UP IS STILL HIGH. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE AREA LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY
AFTERNOON. THE MORNING RUSH HOUR WILL BE IMPACTED AND SNOWFALL
RATES AROUND ONE TO TWO INCHES PER HOUR WILL CAUSE DANGEROUS
TRAVEL CONDITIONS. THE ADVISORY MAY NEED TO BE UPGRADED TO A
WARNING FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA...DEPENDING ON EXACTLY WHERE THE
HEAVIER BANDS SET UP AND HOW STRONG THEY ARE. WILL CONTINUE TO
MONITOR DURING EVENING AND OVERNIGHT SHIFTS.

PRECIPITATION WILL QUICKLY DURING THE EARLY AND MIDDLE AFTERNOON
HOURS TUESDAY.

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