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NNE Winter: just can't compete with Maple Hollow.


eekuasepinniW

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12z GFS still has a pretty decent high elevation snow event, with potential for 6" at the summits.

 

Looks like tomorrow night will see the most concentrated area of orographic precipitation.

 

And this is 24-hour QPF with H85 temperatures below 0C.  Snow levels stay up high till the tail end though, with maybe 0.15" left once the snow levels drop below 2,000ft.

 

12NOV15A.jpg

 

 

Looks nice; I definitely like the way that these northern stream systems tend to be a lot more consistent with respect to modeling and forecasts.  At least as they’re predicted in the models, they don’t seem to have that volatility of the bigger coastal systems where you often have to wait until much closer to the actual occurrence of the storm before you know whether it’s going to mean snow, rain, or essentially nothing.  Not that these types of storms don’t fizzle or overproduce relative to what the modeling suggests, but when the pattern gets going you can watch these things stack up in the modeling and the timing is often pretty good even out to a week.  I wonder if these types of systems play a role in that lower annual snowfall variability that you talk about for up here in NNE.

 

This event should be a nice interlude among the pleasant fall weather, and it could be fun to watch what goes on even in the lower elevations with the BTV forecasts and discussion mentioning snow levels lowering to the valleys:

 

LINGERING SHOWERS AND OROGRAPHIC ACTIVITY SHOULD TURN OVER TO A PERIOD OF SNOW IN MANY AREAS BEFORE ENDING LATER FRIDAY NIGHT OR EARLY SATURDAY AS SNOW LEVELS LOWER FROM 2500-3000FT AT 00Z SAT TO 500FT OR LESS BY SATURDAY MORNING.

 

There does appear to be more potential in the future as well – perhaps a week out, which seems to be about the pace these opportunities have been coming.  We’ve certainly had snowier November patterns (although probably not too often in the first half of the month), but getting things to come together for snow opportunities once a week or so is pretty respectable in any November.

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Looks nice; I definitely like the way that these northern stream systems tend to be a lot more consistent with respect to modeling and forecasts.  At least as they’re predicted in the models, they don’t seem to have that volatility of the bigger coastal systems where you often have to wait until much closer to the actual occurrence of the storm before you know whether it’s going to mean snow, rain, or essentially nothing.  Not that these types of storms don’t fizzle or overproduce relative to what the modeling suggests, but when the pattern gets going you can watch these things stack up in the modeling and the timing is often pretty good even out to a week.  I wonder if these types of systems play a role in that lower annual snowfall variability that you talk about for up here in NNE.

 

This event should be a nice interlude among the pleasant fall weather, and it could be fun to watch what goes on even in the lower elevations with the BTV forecasts and discussion mentioning snow levels lowering to the valleys:

 

LINGERING SHOWERS AND OROGRAPHIC ACTIVITY SHOULD TURN OVER TO A PERIOD OF SNOW IN MANY AREAS BEFORE ENDING LATER FRIDAY NIGHT OR EARLY SATURDAY AS SNOW LEVELS LOWER FROM 2500-3000FT AT 00Z SAT TO 500FT OR LESS BY SATURDAY MORNING.

 

There does appear to be more potential in the future as well – perhaps a week out, which seems to be about the pace these opportunities have been coming.  We’ve certainly had snowier November patterns (although probably not too often in the first half of the month), but getting things to come together for snow opportunities once a week or so is pretty respectable in any November.

 

A couple more runs...the meso-scale models are picking up on a surprising amount of QPF over the next 48 hours.  The EURO looked to have about 0.5-0.6" of QPF with H85 temps of 0C or lower (and total QPF of over an inch).

 

Even if more than half of this is rain, the other half snow above 2,500ft, still points to the possibility of 6" or maybe more at the summits.

 

12z RGEM

 

 

Naturally the BTV 4km WRF goes apesh*t and brings like 3" of QPF to Mansfield and Jay over the next 48 hours. 

 

 

It'll be curious to see what the liquid amounts are even in the mountain valleys surrounding the Spine, as its actually ramping up to be a decent QPF producer from 12z today through 12z Saturday. 

 

As a forecast, I like 3-6" above 2,500ft, with Coating-3" from 500-2,500ft.  Locally higher summit amounts.  I think snow levels will lower quickly after 03z Saturday, with even the mountain valleys waking up to snow showers and possible light accums on Saturday morning.

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I know Eek and Dendrite were having this discussion in the recent nor'easter thread (how orange and red pixels don't mean what they do in summer), but there has to be some bright banding going on here, too. 

 

Its raining moderately, but nothing like what these echoes would've meant a couple months ago.

 

Nov_12_zpsyomx0hxn.gif

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As a forecast, I like 3-6" above 2,500ft, with Coating-3" from 500-2,500ft.  Locally higher summit amounts.  I think snow levels will lower quickly after 03z Saturday, with even the mountain valleys waking up to snow showers and possible light accums on Saturday morning.

 

I think that's about right particularly the "locally higher summit amounts".  I could see an report of 8" above 3000'.  (Or 14". Stuff happens this time of year). 

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I think that's about right particularly the "locally higher summit amounts".  I could see an report of 8" above 3000'.  (Or 14". Stuff happens this time of year). 

 

Yeah, that's the wildcard.  The meso-models are often a little high on QPF, but some of these times with good moisture its hard to tell.  These earlier season and late season events have been known to be prolific precipitation producers.  The wild card I see is if temps near 0C at H85 tomorrow are able to snow up at 3,000-4,000ft...then the summit ridges could pull a good 1" QPF as snow.  It wouldn't surprise me to see liquid equivalent amounts along the Spine of 1-2" with deep moisture and a solid 25-40kts of sustained upslope flow.

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Yeah, that's the wildcard.  The meso-models are often a little high on QPF, but some of these times with good moisture its hard to tell.  These earlier season and late season events have been known to be prolific precipitation producers.  The wild card I see is if temps near 0C at H85 tomorrow are able to snow up at 3,000-4,000ft...then the summit ridges could pull a good 1" QPF as snow.  It wouldn't surprise me to see liquid equivalent amounts along the Spine of 1-2" with deep moisture and a solid 25-40kts of sustained upslope flow.

 

We'll know mid afternoon. Meso-Modeling shows 850s cooling to near 0c around 15z-18z if that holds I think the upper levels of the spine could see a very good snowfall. If it takes till 21 or 0z to cool then I think the 4-6" number is more likely. 

 

I'm also interested to see how much moisture sticks around till tomorrow am. Some -10c air is showing up in some models.  That's the real magic number for making fluffy pow.  If that line can nose in with decent moisture left in the 900 to 700mb layer a few fast fluffy inches could be tossed into this. 

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Wow has it been pouring this morning.  Just torrential upslope rain on the east slope.  Its that real small droplet stuff but just coming down in sheets.

 

Stowe base area station had 0.45" at midnight, then a break until around 3-4am, but another 0.96" of liquid has fallen between 4am-10am. 

 

Closing in on 1.5" for a storm total so far.  Maybe those WRF 2-3.5" amounts will work out.

 

 

Radar loop.  MVL ASOS is the "marker" for reference.

 

IMG_0059_zpsqwxj7bfe.gif

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We'll know mid afternoon. Meso-Modeling shows 850s cooling to near 0c around 15z-18z if that holds I think the upper levels of the spine could see a very good snowfall. If it takes till 21 or 0z to cool then I think the 4-6" number is more likely. 

 

I'm also interested to see how much moisture sticks around till tomorrow am. Some -10c air is showing up in some models.  That's the real magic number for making fluffy pow.  If that line can nose in with decent moisture left in the 900 to 700mb layer a few fast fluffy inches could be tossed into this. 

 

If this was all snow it would've been huge.  Respect the orographic lift.  Thoroughly impressed with the precipitation production this morning.  Stowe base just getting consistent 0.15-0.20" per hour rates since like 4am.

 

Snowmakers coming in at midnight tonight, hopefully I'll be getting some text message updates overnight with high mountain updates.

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If this was all snow it would've been huge.  Respect the orographic lift.  Thoroughly impressed with the precipitation production this morning.  Stowe base just getting consistent 0.15-0.20" per hour rates since like 4am.

 

Snowmakers coming in at midnight tonight, hopefully I'll be getting some text message updates overnight with high mountain updates.

 

Pretty good fetch there. Strong winds making it rain on the east slope. Jspin must be doing well too.

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Pretty good fetch there. Strong winds making it rain on the east slope. Jspin must be doing well too.

 

Yeah 40kts out of the west at 4,000ft and uniform flow is having no issue pushing moisture over the ridgeline to the east slope. 

 

Those westerly winds are just dumping QPF into the Stowe ski resort "bowl"...

 

 

Radar estimates are doing a phenomenal job with it too...showing how localized it is.  Red dots are ski area base and where I live. 

 

Wife says around 0.6" in the stratus at home (including yesterday) while the base area is up to 1.5" for the 24 hour period.  Radar seems to have a good handle on those values.

 

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Snowing now on Mansfield above 3,500ft.  Pretty much on target.

 

It is absolutely pouring out down here though.  Impressive precipitation event.  We are going to add at least another 1.0" of QPF by tomorrow morning I bet. 

 

This event is having no issue with precip production.  Mansfield just ripping moisture out of the sky right now.

 

November_13e_zps9msxvwqk.gif

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That's pretty darn cool.

 

Its really a good event to dust off the rust and work on some upslope forecasting skills for winter.  I'm weenie-ing out, but if this were like 2C colder it would be a huge snow event on the mountain.  This is the type of persistent moist flow that gets measured in feet during the winter.  Like being in an 18 hour deformation band of 30-35dbz.

 

This is a classic Froude number of greater than 1.0...favoring the east side. 

 

So the radar above is the 2.5 degree scan.  I like that one because there's no beam blockage by the spine.  But if we lower down to the 1.5 degree scan, we get some mountain interference but you can also see clearly that the heavy precipitation is falling on the east side of the crest (county line).

 

November_13f_zpsb2odla54.gif

 

 

Pretty cool meso-scale meteorology in progress.  Graphic from Muccilli's Froude study:

 

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Its really a good event to dust off the rust and work on some upslope forecasting skills for winter.  I'm weenie-ing out, but if this were like 2C colder it would be a huge snow event on the mountain.  This is the type of persistent moist flow that gets measured in feet during the winter.  Like being in an 18 hour deformation band of 30-35dbz.

 

This is a classic Froude number of greater than 1.0...favoring the east side. 

 

So the radar above is the 2.5 degree scan.  I like that one because there's no beam blockage by the spine.  But if we lower down to the 1.5 degree scan, we get some mountain interference but you can also see clearly that the heavy precipitation is falling on the east side of the crest (county line).

 

November_13f_zpsb2odla54.gif

 

 

Pretty cool meso-scale meteorology in progress.  Graphic from Muccilli's Froude study:

 

attachicon.gifFroudeNumber.jpg

what are they predicting for snow totals up top?

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If you want to take a meso-scale event and get even more meso-scale with it, Froude number appears to be lowering a bit as the wind starts ticking a bit more WNW instead of pure westerly. 

 

You can actually see the precipitation move from the east slopes to the west slopes here.  Like a Lake Effect band, small subtle changes in wind flow will cause the band to oscillate around.  You can see the 30+ dbz (the core of the upslope band) slowly moving westward.

 

November_13g_zpsg2utmbzp.gif

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Pretty good fetch there. Strong winds making it rain on the east slope. Jspin must be doing well too.

 

It was pouring when I left this morning, but I’ll have to see what the gauge says about today when I get home.

 

Observations update:  I’m looking right at the western slopes of the Northern Greens this moment, and although the temp is still a bit above freezing on Mansfield, the precipitation sure looks like snow instead of rain up high.

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PF,  Does Stowe have a good live camera at or near the top?  Would be great to always get a live feed near the summit.  I watch Coles Ponds camera at around 2000 feet when there is a forecast for a changeover.  Anything higher in Vermont?

 

Watching the showers get over here in Central NH.  Looking at the precip falling looks like snow level is way up there!

post-268-0-70805000-1447439164_thumb.jpg

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