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1/27 Winter Storm - Round 3 - Discussion Thread


Heisy

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Why on earth would you think that the CMC or the GFS has a better grasp on ANY aspect of the situation?  

you mean aside from the convective feedback issue being mentioned?  The Euro isn't perfect, sometimes other Models verify better for certain storms and in certain patterns.  

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I'm not a big fan of "convective feedback" explanations, even when accepting that would lead to a snowy outcome.  

why not?  Do you have the level of knowledge that the mets who do believe this to be a concern?  While I like to consider myself a smart person and enjoy this as a hobby, I do not have the chops to question mets who tell me that convective feedback is an issue, especially when their concern is buoyed by such an extreme run

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I remember March '01 distinctly.  On Friday morning local outlets were forecasting a snow event for the Sunday-Tuesday timeframe.  Glenn, correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the 12Z suite on Friday printed out a HECS from DC-BOS with an exploding Miller B.  Watch/Warnings were raised, the "B" word was tossed around, and with each forecast from that point to the end of the event, the forecasted snow totals got lower and lower.  We ended up with a slushy inch out of a 48-hour forecast of 18-24" +.

 

So yes, my flags are raised too, a Miller B requires a great deal of timing to be a big storm in this area.  Fun to track something potentially large though.

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The NYC board seems to like the ensembles... has anyone seen what they show for this region?

Apparently the ensembles are pretty good. 

 

Still wouldn't get really excited til I saw agreement in the 0Z runs.  Model fluctuations this year from run to run have been appalling.

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That's what scares me, but didn't all the models miss that one (for our area, Eastern NE got crushed)?

Who cares if New England gets crushed? Long Island got a foot in March 2001. We didn't miss it by much geographically. But do you think anyone around here cared?

 

These Miller "B"s are obviously the most difficult, especially since the EURO doesn't have as much of an advantage as it does when the southern branch is involved. A "B" that misses by only 50 miles can lead to a giant bust if you're on the south end of the precip...which we may be.

 

That said, the EURO ensembles are fairly similar to the OP, but not as extreme (which figures, since they're averaging 51 solutions-could any be more extreme than the OP?)

 

Glenn

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Who cares if New England gets crushed? Long Island got a foot in March 2001. We didn't miss it by much geographically. But do you think anyone around here cared?

 

These Miller "B"s are obviously the most difficult, especially since the EURO doesn't have as much of an advantage as it does when the southern branch is involved. A "B" that misses by only 50 miles can lead to a giant bust if you're on the south end of the precip...which we may be.

 

That said, the EURO ensembles are fairly similar to the OP, but not as extreme (which figures, since they're averaging 51 solutions-could any be more extreme than the OP?)

 

Glenn

 

Who cares if New England gets crushed? Long Island got a foot in March 2001. We didn't miss it by much geographically. But do you think anyone around here cared?

 

These Miller "B"s are obviously the most difficult, especially since the EURO doesn't have as much of an advantage as it does when the southern branch is involved. A "B" that misses by only 50 miles can lead to a giant bust if you're on the south end of the precip...which we may be.

 

That said, the EURO ensembles are fairly similar to the OP, but not as extreme (which figures, since they're averaging 51 solutions-could any be more extreme than the OP?)

 

Glenn

 

Ahh, the memories!

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
 
330 PM EST SAT MAR 3 2001
 
 
 
DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>026-PAZ054-055-
 
060>062-067>071-040400-
 
ATLANTIC NJ-ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY NJ-BERKS PA-BUCKS PA-BURLINGTON
 
NJ-CAMDEN NJ-CAPE MAY NJ-CARBON PA-CAROLINE MD-CECIL MD-CHESTER
 
PA-COASTAL ATLANTIC NJ-COASTAL OCEAN NJ-CUMBERLAND NJ-DELAWARE
 
PA-DELAWARE BEACHES DE-EASTERN MONMOUTH NJ-GLOUCESTER NJ-HUNTERDON
 
NJ-INLAND SUSSEX DE-KENT DE-KENT MD-LEHIGH PA-MERCER NJ-MIDDLESEX
 
NJ-MONROE PA-MONTGOMERY PA-MORRIS NJ-NEW CASTLE DE-NORTHAMPTON
 
PA-OCEAN NJ-PHILADELPHIA PA-QUEEN ANNE'S MD-SALEM NJ-SOMERSET
 
NJ-SUSSEX NJ-TALBOT MD-WARREN NJ-WESTERN MONMOUTH NJ-
 
 
 
...WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE PERIOD BEGINNING SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND
 
CONTINUING THROUGH AT LEAST MONDAY EVENING...
 
 
 
THE APPROACHING STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DEVELOP BLIZZARD
 
CONDITIONS WITH VERY HEAVY SNOWFALL AND STRONG WINDS.  PREPARATIONS
 
SHOULD BE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY.
 
 
 
TRAVEL WILL BECOME VERY DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS...IF NOT
 
IMPOSSIBLE...BEGINNING LATE SUNDAY AND CONTINUING INTO THE EARLY
 
PART OF THE NEW WEEK.  IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...DO IT BEFORE SUNDAY
 
AFTERNOON OR EXPECT TO WAIT UNTIL MID WEEK.
 
 
 
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I remember March '01 distinctly.  On Friday morning local outlets were forecasting a snow event for the Sunday-Tuesday timeframe.  Glenn, correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the 12Z suite on Friday printed out a HECS from DC-BOS with an exploding Miller B.  Watch/Warnings were raised, the "B" word was tossed around, and with each forecast from that point to the end of the event, the forecasted snow totals got lower and lower.  We ended up with a slushy inch out of a 48-hour forecast of 18-24" +.

 

So yes, my flags are raised too, a Miller B requires a great deal of timing to be a big storm in this area.  Fun to track something potentially large though.

You have succeeded in giving me chills with that reminder. Yes, you are absolutely right. At this point, I would say there was more model agreement in March 2001 than there is now.

 

Glenn

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You have succeeded in giving me chills with that reminder. Yes, you are absolutely right. At this point, I would say there was more model agreement in March 2001 than there is now.

 

Glenn

one thing i remember for sure is that march 2001 did not sneak up on us like this.   Of course this close to the storm itself there were already signs of a problem....

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The run-to-run changes in the modeling, and not just the ops but even the ensembles, is a little sickening.  And I don't mean that in a good way.  Once upon a time, weren't the ensembles touted as a guide through the confusion of run-to-run changes in the ops?  Now it seems like they are just as succeptible.

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You have succeeded in giving me chills with that reminder. Yes, you are absolutely right. At this point, I would say there was more model agreement in March 2001 than there is now.

 

Glenn

I remember that as well--ETA/EURO/GFS/UKMET all agreed with the extreme solution.  The watches went out which to the public was the same as a warning and by the time everyone realized it wasn't going to make it (still blew up but too far north--the prime screwzone for a Miller B), it was too late and the masses had the pitchforks out.

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one thing i remember for sure is that march 2001 did not sneak up on us like this.   Of course this close to the storm itself there were already signs of a problem....

If there's anything this could remind me of... its, maybe, February 10 2010.  The big one after the big one.

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I'm no wishcaster.  Many a famous and infamous mets think they can know the model better than the model.  That has not been my experience in general.  I have no idea whether it will be the case this time or if the euro solution will verify. Odds say it will not.

 

Here's the difference--it's METEORology, not MODELology.  The solution suggested by the EURO is an extreme outlier, both by climatology and common sense.  It's not outside the realm of possibility, thus the excitement.  Basically, what you have is a single model printing out a solution that has failed to materialize many times in the past (Miller B closing off/phasing too late, leading to a MECS for SNE and 1-2" here), and a solution that requires timing.  The fact that it's the EURO is actually giving more credence to what it's showing.  Also, people here have long memories about 3/5/01.  Ask Glenn's former colleague how that worked out for him.  So it's not unusual when professionals in the field make attempts to poo-poo an extreme outlier's forecast.  I'm on wait-and-see mode right now.  If the 0Z shows the same solution and other models continue to cave as they are now, I'm honking.

 

Think of it this way.  If this were the 12Z GFS or the 12Z NAM alone with this, would we even be having this conversation?  

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One difference between this storm and March 2001 is that it is taking place with fresh arctic air in late January and will not wind up as a drizzly rainstorm what ever the outcome

I am not comparing the specific situation to 2001. It is a classic example of extreme solutions for a Miller "B" busting badly within 72 hours, even with other model support. It had nothing to do with what month it was. The UKMET and Canadian have both had their moments this winter. So, even if one throws out the GFS, there is other support for a more moderate solution for us (but a BIG storm for New England regardless).

 

Glenn

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Here's the difference--it's METEORology, not MODELology.  The solution suggested by the EURO is an extreme outlier, both by climatology and common sense.  It's not outside the realm of possibility, thus the excitement.  Basically, what you have is a single model printing out a solution that has failed to materialize many times in the past (Miller B closing off/phasing too late, leading to a MECS for SNE and 1-2" here), and a solution that requires timing.  The fact that it's the EURO is actually giving more credence to what it's showing.  Also, people here have long memories about 3/5/01.  Ask Glenn's former colleague how that worked out for him.  So it's not unusual when professionals in the field make attempts to poo-poo an extreme outlier's forecast.  I'm on wait-and-see mode right now.  If the 0Z shows the same solution and other models continue to cave as they are now, I'm honking.

 

Think of it this way.  If this were the 12Z GFS or the 12Z NAM alone with this, would we even be having this conversation?  

 

No, but I agree with the the other 90% of what you wrote. If you don't know why the NAM and GFS are not the euro...well.... The euro at this range is pretty deadly, but that must be balanced by the odds being against such an extreme solution. 

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