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Jan 22-24 blizzard obs, tracking, nowcasting #2


Ian

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(Great) Blizzard of 2016 Observations

1:30pm--0.0", -SN

2:30pm--0.1", -SN (close to SN, dusting on secondary roads)

3:30pm--0.7", SN (light wind, secondary roads covered, main roads with slushy accumulation)

4:30pm--1.3", SN (same as last update, but with main roads covered now)

5:30pm--1.9", SN (closing in on +SN with dropping visibility, first notable wind gusts appearing)

6:30pm--2.3", SN (everything covered heavily, minor gusts)

7:30pm--3.5", SN (suspect hour, looks like drifting has begun, used multiple neighborhood measurements)

8:30pm--4.3", SN (prior hour ob confirmed, breezy)

9:30pm--5.1", +SN (first legit wind gusts, visibility below 1/4SM)

12:00am--7.1", -SN (50% dendrites, 40% smaller flakes, 10% rimed flakes)

2:00am--10.1", +SN (windy, but below blizzard criteria, below 1/4SM)

4:00am--12.0", +SN (greatest scene since Feb '13, strong wind, +SN and whiteout conditions)

8:30am--16.1", SN (SN+ continued overnight, with some wind and near whiteout conditions, no thundersnow)

10:30am--17.3", -SN (reduced rates, but still coming down even with "weak" radar returns, slight wind, growing drifts)

12:30pm--17.5", Flurries (barely any accumulating snow, some compaction evident, windy)

02:30pm--18.0", +SN (light snow all the way until the last 30 minutes of the period, then +SN and 1/8 viz, breezy)

03:30pm--19.0", +SN (heavy snow, whiteout conditions, windiest period yet)

05:30pm--20.1", SN (windy, moderate snow, roads with 3-5 inches on them, drifts up to 2')

06:30pm--21.0", -SN (heavier band changing to lighter one, storm winding down, still gusty)

07:30pm--21.6", -SN (mod band to pixie dust)

09:30pm--22.0", Flurries (two periods of heavier -SN that put me over the top LATE. Ballgame)

Overall grade: A

Easy grade to give, though I initially thought of giving it an A-. For the DC folks, we left some serious points on the field. A 20 mile shift during the morning hours and we would have made a run at knickerbocker. However, in true DC fashion we found a way to fail during a historic storm. Outside of that, this was the perfect storm for the area. No temp concerns for most. Long duration event. Deathbands. Blizzard warning verified. All time bests for folks in the broader region. DC redemption when we were against the ropes, and even RIC getting redemption at the end.

We need to do these more often. Our days on this earth are fleeting. How we spend our precious time--time that we never get back--will determine how happy we will be in the end. We are all weenies. We live for this. Together we tracked an historic event and together we were able to vent, high five, :o , and laugh together. We jebwalked with loved ones, gave our children memories they will pass on, and stood in awe of mother nature, together.

These are memories that we will always have, no matter what our totals were. Cheers.

200.gif

Well said!!! Truly worth all the model-watching and overall weather-geeking in then end...To see the beautiful splendor and sheer force of the creation--A blessing indeed!!
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There are multiple measurement in northern MoCo over 30".  I was at 30.5" at 5pm.  I'll measure after this next band finishes.  Trained spotter here in Clarksburg submitted 34.3" at 6:26pm too.

When I survey my neighborhood, it definitely looks like close to 30", but I have no reliable place to measure from in my yard. Where I did measure was closer to 24-25" but this was one spot...I live next to woods on an 800' hilltop. 

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(Great) Blizzard of 2016 Observations

1:30pm--0.0", -SN

2:30pm--0.1", -SN (close to SN, dusting on secondary roads)

3:30pm--0.7", SN (light wind, secondary roads covered, main roads with slushy accumulation)

4:30pm--1.3", SN (same as last update, but with main roads covered now)

5:30pm--1.9", SN (closing in on +SN with dropping visibility, first notable wind gusts appearing)

6:30pm--2.3", SN (everything covered heavily, minor gusts)

7:30pm--3.5", SN (suspect hour, looks like drifting has begun, used multiple neighborhood measurements)

8:30pm--4.3", SN (prior hour ob confirmed, breezy)

9:30pm--5.1", +SN (first legit wind gusts, visibility below 1/4SM)

12:00am--7.1", -SN (50% dendrites, 40% smaller flakes, 10% rimed flakes)

2:00am--10.1", +SN (windy, but below blizzard criteria, below 1/4SM)

4:00am--12.0", +SN (greatest scene since Feb '13, strong wind, +SN and whiteout conditions)

8:30am--16.1", SN (SN+ continued overnight, with some wind and near whiteout conditions, no thundersnow)

10:30am--17.3", -SN (reduced rates, but still coming down even with "weak" radar returns, slight wind, growing drifts)

12:30pm--17.5", Flurries (barely any accumulating snow, some compaction evident, windy)

02:30pm--18.0", +SN (light snow all the way until the last 30 minutes of the period, then +SN and 1/8 viz, breezy)

03:30pm--19.0", +SN (heavy snow, whiteout conditions, windiest period yet)

05:30pm--20.1", SN (windy, moderate snow, roads with 3-5 inches on them, drifts up to 2')

06:30pm--21.0", -SN (heavier band changing to lighter one, storm winding down, still gusty)

07:30pm--21.6", -SN (mod band to pixie dust)

09:30pm--22.0", Flurries (two periods of heavier -SN that put me over the top LATE. Ballgame)

 

Overall grade: A

 

Easy grade to give, though I initially thought of giving it an A-. For the DC folks, we left some serious points on the field. A 20 mile shift during the morning hours and we would have made a run at knickerbocker. However, in true DC fashion we found a way to fail during a historic storm. Outside of that, this was the perfect storm for the area. No temp concerns for most. Long duration event. Deathbands. Blizzard warning verified. All time bests for folks in the broader region. DC redemption when we were against the ropes, and even RIC getting redemption at the end.

 

We need to do these more often. Our days on this earth are fleeting. How we spend our precious time--time that we never get back--will determine how happy we will be in the end. We are all weenies. We live for this. Together we tracked an historic event and together we were able to vent, high five,  :o , and laugh together. We jebwalked with loved ones, gave our children memories they will pass on, and stood in awe of mother nature, together. 

 

These are memories that we will always have, no matter what our totals were. Cheers. 

 

200.gif

 

 

I agree. And I've really appreciated the expertise and insight I've seen on this board (especially in the modeling threads) from beginning to the end for this amazing storm. It's been like taking a seminar :)

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(Great) Blizzard of 2016 Observations

1:30pm--0.0", -SN

2:30pm--0.1", -SN (close to SN, dusting on secondary roads)

3:30pm--0.7", SN (light wind, secondary roads covered, main roads with slushy accumulation)

4:30pm--1.3", SN (same as last update, but with main roads covered now)

5:30pm--1.9", SN (closing in on +SN with dropping visibility, first notable wind gusts appearing)

6:30pm--2.3", SN (everything covered heavily, minor gusts)

7:30pm--3.5", SN (suspect hour, looks like drifting has begun, used multiple neighborhood measurements)

8:30pm--4.3", SN (prior hour ob confirmed, breezy)

9:30pm--5.1", +SN (first legit wind gusts, visibility below 1/4SM)

12:00am--7.1", -SN (50% dendrites, 40% smaller flakes, 10% rimed flakes)

2:00am--10.1", +SN (windy, but below blizzard criteria, below 1/4SM)

4:00am--12.0", +SN (greatest scene since Feb '13, strong wind, +SN and whiteout conditions)

8:30am--16.1", SN (SN+ continued overnight, with some wind and near whiteout conditions, no thundersnow)

10:30am--17.3", -SN (reduced rates, but still coming down even with "weak" radar returns, slight wind, growing drifts)

12:30pm--17.5", Flurries (barely any accumulating snow, some compaction evident, windy)

02:30pm--18.0", +SN (light snow all the way until the last 30 minutes of the period, then +SN and 1/8 viz, breezy)

03:30pm--19.0", +SN (heavy snow, whiteout conditions, windiest period yet)

05:30pm--20.1", SN (windy, moderate snow, roads with 3-5 inches on them, drifts up to 2')

06:30pm--21.0", -SN (heavier band changing to lighter one, storm winding down, still gusty)

07:30pm--21.6", -SN (mod band to pixie dust)

09:30pm--22.0", Flurries (two periods of heavier -SN that put me over the top LATE. Ballgame)

Overall grade: A

Easy grade to give, though I initially thought of giving it an A-. For the DC folks, we left some serious points on the field. A 20 mile shift during the morning hours and we would have made a run at knickerbocker. However, in true DC fashion we found a way to fail during a historic storm. Outside of that, this was the perfect storm for the area. No temp concerns for most. Long duration event. Deathbands. Blizzard warning verified. All time bests for folks in the broader region. DC redemption when we were against the ropes, and even RIC getting redemption at the end.

We need to do these more often. Our days on this earth are fleeting. How we spend our precious time--time that we never get back--will determine how happy we will be in the end. We are all weenies. We live for this. Together we tracked an historic event and together we were able to vent, high five, :o , and laugh together. We jebwalked with loved ones, gave our children memories they will pass on, and stood in awe of mother nature, together.

These are memories that we will always have, no matter what our totals were. Cheers.

200.gif

Awesome post and record keeping. Thanks for all you do and did to keep folks updated during the storm. Eastern DC numbers look very similar, up and down the district.

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I cannot tell you how stoked I am that Baltimore broke it's snowfall record with this storm....I expected two feet, but I did not think we would actually get to 29.2"!!!! (Now the OCD in ne just wants to get another.8 of an inch just to make it an even 30"!!! Lol) And I certainly didn't fully believe the storm totals the model rums were spitting out!! Sweet mercy!! Absolutely the best storm of my mere quarter century of life so far!!! (And it's been fun--and quite entertaining--riding it with you guys, lol) Thankful for the blessing of watching this unfold!!!

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During a lengthy final dog walk, I was pleasantly surprised by the respectable light snow still falling -- better than the flurries during the worst part of the dry slot.  Will probably check my boards one last time before I go to bed, but will err on the conservative side before adjusting my 24.0 upward.  

 

HOA's contract plow crew now out in force.  

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Many jebwalks were had but I didn't do any measurements until just now, as the final flakes fall in Lyon Park. In my backyard it's a flat sheet of snow, impressive as the ground has a definite roll. Measured 5 spots IMBY, 17.5" to 22". Being that my yard is somewhat sheltered, and that I definitely lost a few inches to compaction, i feel pretty confident calling it a 20" storm.

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I got about 27", give or take an inch (I didn't measure with a snow board, just took multiple measurements from around the yard.

That's all you can really do.  I ended up with a few inches less than 2010, but fun nonetheless!  If 2010 was a 10.0 imby this was a 9.7!

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