Jump to content
  • Member Statistics

    17,607
    Total Members
    7,904
    Most Online
    NH8550
    Newest Member
    NH8550
    Joined

Pittsburgh, PA Thread: Winter 2015-2016


meatwad

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 2.5k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Here is the 96 track

211lyx2.jpg

That track looks like it hugged the coast and maybe even ticked nw a bit near maryland? Tomorrow's storm seems to hug til about virginia then shoot east. Pretty soon it will be nowcasting range anyway so just wait and see.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been watching this from afar. Not getting sucked in by NAM last night. Only way we see anything over 1-2 is if this either gets captured or WAA allows this to stay a little further west. I think 1-3 is a safe call and maybe this storm has a surprise. Other than that, look at next week. A bunch of clippers and another possible storm originating out of the GOM. Only thing I will say is atleast I don't have to shovel my whole gravel driveway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been watching this from afar. Not getting sucked in by NAM last night. Only way we see anything over 1-2 is if this either gets captured or WAA allows this to stay a little further west. I think 1-3 is a safe call and maybe this storm has a surprise. Other than that, look at next week. A bunch of clippers and another possible storm originating out of the GOM. Only thing I will say is atleast I don't have to shovel my whole gravel driveway.

I figured you were watching from afar... Cant believe I got more from yesterday than I may get from this one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've seen storms like this, as they get captured near the coast, end up making a small "loop" in the Atlantic which brings them NW a tad.  At this point it looks like that sort of cyclogenesis is certainly possible, if not nearly probable based on the model consistency we've had.

 

I do find it odd the SREF and NAM are so far north, but I've never put too much stock in either of those models.  The NAM has only won one coup in all the time I've been model observing.  We still do have a little time for adjustments, but by 12Z tomorrow everything is going to be locked in and massive changes - from a modeling standpoint - are not at all likely to occur.

 

That said, the theme this winter so far has been over-performance, so I'm going to stick with that until the trend stops.  We picked up 2" last night from what was supposed to be next to nothing.  How much I would gauge we over-perform, well, I guess that depends on which model you follow for the forecast.

 

Of course a lot also depends on where the deformation bands set up.  As long as that goes far enough north you'll definitely have a good shot at verification or greater.  Models aren't perfect - as evidence by yesterday alone - and dynamic weather events like this are extremely hard to predict.  Remember that models are based on information and calculations inputted by humans, and we hardly have a supreme knowledge of nature's weather systems.  It's really all "best guess."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if an overperformer like Jan 96 is even possible these days with how many models and how much data is available. I would like to think that anything can happen with mother nature but who knows?

 

I would guess it is possible.  We've seen the opposite occur not all that long ago (March 2001), and including what I wrote in the previous post, it seems to me that dynamic storm systems create unique environments that can't be precisely predicted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would guess it is possible.  We've seen the opposite occur not all that long ago (March 2001), and including what I wrote in the previous post, it seems to me that dynamic storm systems create unique environments that can't be precisely predicted.

Good point and I am hoping so, it definitely makes things more interesting that way. Good luck down there you look to do well!

Link to comment
Share on other sites



Robert Suhr What are your thoughts on the latest SREF guidance...I also saw the morning runs of the NAM were putting out some impressive snow totals
 


 






US National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA The NAM seems to be more of an outlier right now, and that is also influencing the higher totals on the SREF. So, we are putting less weight on that solution.


 

 







Bryan Mathews What model blend was used for this map? This far out do you lean toward shorter range models?
 











US National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA We generally will use a blend of models as well as guidance from the Weather Prediction Center in DC or the River Forecast Center in Wilmington OH to come up with our precipitation forecasts. Then we need to figure out a snow-to-liquid ratio to come up with accumulations. It's a complex process for sure!

 

 










Brian Gulish Do you see any chance the storm jogs further north over the next 24 hours, therefore increasing snow amounts across the region. If so, why would that happen?
 


US National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA Yes, wobbles are possible. They would be particularly impactful in this case, since there will be a sharp edge to storm totals. The storm track would have the most influence on that, as well as small-scale convective features.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

tbh, all these snow maps are pretty and everything, but because the gradient is so tight no one knows.  a 30 mile "wobble" is the difference in downtown pgh between 2" and 6".  That said, 3-6 for agc is a pretty good call, and its just as likely that cranberry could get 1" and Clariton gets 10"

 

I did just get an email that a bunch of county courts in WVA are closed tomorrow.  So there's that....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if an overperformer like Jan 96 is even possible these days with how many models and how much data is available. I would like to think that anything can happen with mother nature but who knows?

It seems unlikely this day and age anything could be that off so close to the event unfolding. However, given that only a 25 mile shift will drastically change sensible weather for someone with this particular storm and 25 miles isn't really much to a model there could be some surprises good or bad.

 

If I manage to get 4 out of this being in northern Westmoreland I'll call that a victory, less than 2 under performer and 6 or more over performer. That' my feelings right now.

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...