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March 2-3 Disco, Part III


stormtracker

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I'm mostly just reading but I have one question for you all, haven't seen it asked elsewhere: When the models show total snowfall maps are they taking into consideration ground conditions? In other words, is it just calculating total snowfall based on what falls from the sky and assuming everything sticks? Or does it account for some not accumulating intially based on it raining intially, warmer temps, etc. I believe they take virga into consideration but I wasn't sure how it handles situations like these, especially with a changeover.

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As I'm learning the forum ropes... What is a troll?

  

Basically any post thats designed to make your ears bleed and increase your urge to kill

A little clarification: a Troll is someone that makes such posts, Trolling is the action of making such posts, usually by someone that knows much better. Neither is suffered very well in here. Examples:

- How much IMBY (in my back yard) - Not trolling, just a stupid post in a model discussion

- Oh, no! The 12z NAM is south again and its superior resolution means it's picking up nuance that the Globals are missing! Oh, no! - definitely trolling

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The NWS forecast is at 10.9" for DC. Seems a bit above consensus, and I've never known LWX to be bullish. What gives?

 

I was surprised by their max/min and expected value range, it sure seems higher than they usually go.  I've often wondered if they oscillate back and forth, going lower if they busted too high on a previous forecast, then going higher if they went too low previously (if that makes sense).  I do recall for the Feb. 12-13 storm, they seemed awfully low.  All guidance was giving the area probably 6-12" on average, with higher amounts farther west where it stayed snow longer.  But LWX was going 4-6" in the metro area.  They may have been swayed by the GFS, which was chronically light on that event until right near when it started.  It's really tricky in this area as you probably know, since the forecast will greatly affect millions of people (quite literally), and many decisions.  I've sometimes been down on them, but I do not at all envy their position given the high-profile location.

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I'm mostly just reading but I have one question for you all, haven't seen it asked elsewhere: When the models show total snowfall maps are they taking into consideration ground conditions? In other words, is it just calculating total snowfall based on what falls from the sky and assuming everything sticks? Or does it account for some not accumulating intially based on it raining intially, warmer temps, etc. I believe they take virga into consideration but I wasn't sure how it handles situations like these, especially with a changeover.

 

It's snowfall not snow depth.

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On the other hand that suite of maps has DC in the 10-14 range. I think I'll stick with WPC for for their probabilistic maps. 

Those experimental (I think they're still listed that way on their site) plots are a fantastic resource, I think.  Both the probabilistic for various amounts and their percentile accumulation maps.

 

ETA:  I'm referring to the WPC maps in particular here, though I do like that LWX has been showing ranges and probabilities for the local area, too.

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Gfs is widespread 1 - 1.2 cities and burbs but .4 is definitely non-frozen verbatim

 

GFS still has the latest changeover of any model even though it goes below freezing earlier....I think a wildcard is how much frozen falls between midnight and 4am, and when does it change to snow..Euro has been on board with definitely getting some accumulating snow between 1am and 4am....if we have to wait until 5, then obviously we will get less snow....I am having trouble getting on board with any insane amounts as it looks like a 12 hour snow event tops....which is usually a good signal for 8" in a heavy snow event...

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