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December 16-18 Winter Storm Threat


Hoosier

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I keep thinking this thread is really picking up, but it's just Chicago Storm double posting.

Sitting quietly observing this one, I really think this will surprise the Chicago Metro north of 88. QPF and evolution just seems off on the models and is starting to catch up. Time will tell.



My gut feeling is that too. I think the WAA snow could perform pretty well and the 00z runs have better backed that potential after also trending more robust with the earlier runs today. Also, as I mentioned in the AFD, and others have, the surface low track is quite favorable for significant accumulations in parts of northern IL. There's been a few runs that depict that conceptual model well, such as recent runs of the GEM, so perhaps the globals are getting the track part right, but missing on other aspects. I was very close to issuing a Winter storm Watch for the northern tier of counties, but instead of a another confusing headline situation, decided on the advisory. If Euro trends better tonight, I'll feel pretty confident that we'll need to upgrade to a warning at least along the WI border and possibly down to the I-88 corridor counties.
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Upper level divergence over SW MN with a strong h85 low over Sioux Falls, looking like this could be an over achieve here in the MSP metro.  Calling for 9-14, with a band of 14-18 from Mankato to just north of Rochester MN.  I there is a error in this call, it may be that I'm a little low on the high side for the Metro, especially the southern metro.

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Apparently the NAM thinks there will be (nearly) a 4-precipitation-type point on the map in OH. This is the NAM valid 06z Saturday. I'm not sure if the NAM will be correct regarding the extent of freezing rain and sleet. I will be near that area on the map next week.

 

NEkVEiV.jpg

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New Ukie has a decent deformation band from central KS up through east IA/northern IL similar to it's 12z run.

Gonna up my first call for here/QC from 0.5-2, up to 2-4" now that the models look a little wetter with the deform/frontogenesis precip.  WAA wing still looks like a brief burst of snow before lifting northeast with 1" or so maybe.  Probably several hours of freezing drizzle tomorrow night, and perhaps some very light freezing rain for a time.

To me the most entertaining part of this storm is the extreme cold following, along with the insane temp gradients from the surface on up.  Very impressive.

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2 hours ago, Stebo said:

Looks like the Euro ticked a bit cooler this run locally, never gets above freezing here now.

Noticed that too. Heck the NAM doesn't go above 35 in Toledo on Saturday. Very weird storm to say the least, 4-6" locally followed by freezing rain and sleet, followed by rain, followed by snow to finish and a return to frigid temps

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Models had slowly been trending a bit wetter through last night, and then all the new 12z, and high-res are like nope.  Still gonna ride my 2-4" call and hope the 18z/high-res trend back the other way.  Also hoping that last-gasp deform band overachieves tomorrow afternoon lol.  Been a fun week of tracking this thing at least.

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Models had slowly been trending a bit wetter through last night, and then all the new 12z, and high-res are like nope.  Still gonna ride my 2-4" call and hope the 18z/high-res trend back the other way.  Also hoping that last-gasp deform band overachieves tomorrow afternoon lol.  Been a fun week of tracking this thing at least.


Indeed. 12z NAM/RGEM/GGEM all came in drier across MN/IA/WI/IL. Further east not so much.
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Models had slowly been trending a bit wetter through last night, and then all the new 12z, and high-res are like nope.  Still gonna ride my 2-4" call and hope the 18z/high-res trend back the other way.  Also hoping that last-gasp deform band overachieves tomorrow afternoon lol.  Been a fun week of tracking this thing at least.


Indeed. 12z NAM/RGEM/GGEM all came in drier across MN/IA/WI/IL. Further east not so much.
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19 minutes ago, Stebo said:

Sounds like the last storm, seems like that is the new normal adjusting south and east last minute.

My point-and-click for Royal Oak has jumped up to 6" for tonight. I wonder if the advisory will need updating.

Hopefully the colder trend continues through the nowcast window. Building a nice snowpack here for mid-Dec.

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Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Chicago/Romeoville, IL
1139 AM CST Fri Dec 16 2016

.UPDATE...
1139 AM CST

No changes to going headlines and forecast thinking at this time.
Recent AMDAR sounding out of MDW shows low level dry air centered
at 900 mb, and another somewhat dry layer above 700 mb. As south-
southwest warm air advection and f-gen at 850 mb continues to
ramp up in advance of a mid-level shortwave lifting northeast,
plus ascent from that wave, watching the top down saturation
process occur in the airport obs and on radar, and now at the
surface with light snow beginning in the Rockford area.

Expect bands west-northwest to east-southeast bands of snow
similar to current one over northern CWA to fill in through the
afternoon, particularly northeast half of the CWA. Straight QPF
output from the most recent high- res guidance could be
concerning, but forecast soundings suggest we don`t have any
issues saturating, and support for a 5-7 hour period where
occasional moderate snow rates are possible. The 12z sounding from
SGF (Springfield MO), which is a good proxy for air mass being
advected northward into the cold air, had a PWAT value of 0.6" and
mean mixing ratio of 3 g/kg. So the pieces are still in place with
good forcing for ascent and good moisture in a snow situation to
produce accumulating snow during the commute. The message
continues that snow will easily accumulate on all roads, likely to
result in significant impacts to the commute. Have not made any
changes to snow amounts through the evening, with expectation of
1 to 5 inches, highest near the Wisconsin border.

Will address concerns in next discussion update with likely lulls
in the precipitation later this evening through Saturday morning
where freezing drizzle could become an issue even north of I-80.
Finally, based off assessment of new guidance, concern has
increased for icing in southeast CWA not currently in headlines.
Trend has been for a slightly farther south low pressure track
overall, which will tend to keep boundary layer temperatures
colder through Saturday morning. Warm nose aloft will result in
full melting of hydrometeors, so freezing rain/drizzle will become
likely overnight. Then on Saturday morning, even if temperatures
creep slightly above freezing, very cold road and ground
temperatures could mean that there will still be freezing on
roads. So am expecting to issue a Winter Weather Advisory for the
southeast CWA counties not in a headline with the afternoon
forecast package.

Castro
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5 minutes ago, Hoosier said:

Some of the models are hinting at some showery/convective elements in the freezing rain zone later.  That would be of some concern for more rapid ice buildup, at least on a localized basis.

It shows some banding of snow/freezing rain right along the changeover zone south of I-80 overnight. Looks rather localized but could setup some heavy snow/ice where it does like you pointed out

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