Jump to content
  • Member Statistics

    17,608
    Total Members
    7,904
    Most Online
    Vesuvius
    Newest Member
    Vesuvius
    Joined

January Banter


Isopycnic

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 5k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

The southern upstate of SC stays in that snow zone for what, 7 or 8 hours?

 

We in the northern upstate (I'm intentionally not using I-85 as a reference point jburns) stay in it maybe 3 or 4 hours - losing an hour to saturate. That is still better than the coastal hugger we've watched most of the last week.

 

Of course, I'm hanging all of this on the HI RES 4K, so yeah...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You know it's a storm when folks are complaining about virga overhead that just 18 hours ago wasn't even on any simulated radar. 

Ha, yeah. I don't remember any of the simulated radars having the virga overhead at 8am in Atlanta. Might be the difference between 2" and 1.5" here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't think 5 inches vs. 4 inches is going to look too silly. Better to play it safe, though I'm not sure how that makes it's safe. 

The thought was to keep warning/advisory level accumulations while allowing the saturation issue to play out. Local research suggests between .1 and .2 inches (.15 being middle ground obviously) to saturate an airmass like this. The forecasters are also aware this is not always the case, but again a conservative approach was taken until things become a bit more clear. I don't think anyone would complain if the afternoon update reflects higher accumulations in warranted, while the advisory/warning map stays the same.

 

As a positive there was a report from GSO that the runway ground temp is around 24/25 degrees, so as soon as it starts falling it starts sticking. This is reflected in webcams from areas around Forsyth County where it has started snowing. Also, as many have pointed out, it looks like a dew point depression of around 10 degrees or even more is adequate for moisture to reach the surface. Hopefully the dry layer (which starts around 850mb) will saturate easily.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The southern upstate of SC stays in that snow zone for what, 7 or 8 hours?

We in the northern upstate (I'm intentionally not using I-85 as a reference point jburns) stay in it maybe 3 or 4 hours - losing an hour to saturate. That is still better than the coastal hugger we've watched most of the last week.

Of course, I'm hanging all of this on the HI RES 4K, so yeah...

Will certainly be interesting to see how this plays out. Remember February when you got 3" and I got a heavy heavy dusting just one county over?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Will certainly be interesting to see how this plays out. Remember February when you got 3" and I got a heavy heavy dusting just one county over?

 

Oh yeah - that's why I'm not as frustrated as most of the upstate about not having a good snow in 3 years. That was a surprise to me - I thought we were surely too far west. And it was really localized too. My sister who lives just 2 miles west of me had nothing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's going to be maddening watching the radar and trying to will/wish/scream at the blob to move a bit north of 85 to get us..

 

I love the Intellicast radar.  It's horrible because it shows all kinds of returns when there's nothing falling.  But I still get excited watching the virga storm develop! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The thought was to keep warning/advisory level accumulations while allowing the saturation issue to play out. Local research suggests between .1 and .2 inches (.15 being middle ground obviously) to saturate an airmass like this. The forecasters are also aware this is not always the case, but again a conservative approach was taken until things become a bit more clear. I don't think anyone would complain if the afternoon update reflects higher accumulations in warranted, while the advisory/warning map stays the same.

 

As a positive there was a report from GSO that the runway ground temp is around 24/25 degrees, so as soon as it starts falling it starts sticking. This is reflected in webcams from areas around Forsyth County where it has started snowing. Also, as many have pointed out, it looks like a dew point depression of around 10 degrees or even more is adequate for moisture to reach the surface. Hopefully the dry layer (which starts around 850mb) will saturate easily.

 

Thanks. I'm still shocked my back yard is only under an advisory. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh yeah - that's why I'm not as frustrated as most of the upstate about not having a good snow in 3 years. That was a surprise to me - I thought we were surely too far west. And it was really localized too. My sister who lives just 2 miles west of me had nothing.

 

I've been going to school here for a year and a half and the climate is still tough to figure out. Speaking of climates, might drive to Paris Mountain which is about five minutes from Furman and is over 2000' elevation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been going to school here for a year and a half and the climate is still tough to figure out. Speaking of climates, might drive to Paris Mountain which is about five minutes from Furman and is over 2000' elevation.

 

It is a challenge to forecast here. Take your camera :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm more excited to see the snow start falling than a 12-year-old girl at a Justin Bieber concert.

 

I'm still worried about a little more warming aloft than we've been expecting.  The WRAL post about Fayetteville is somewhat concerning.  They're not that far away.  Plus, a devloping low in western NC would not be ideal for cooling the mid levels.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The good thing about this storm: it's sub freezing, everything will stick, there will be plenty of window time for flake watching,most of us will see a least something and you won't have to sit up all night watching the radar and the street lights to see a passing flurry. Then head of to work with multiple bags under your eyes.

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...