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PD3.5 Lite Obs and Nowcasting


Bob Chill

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6 minutes ago, high risk said:

     yes, and in the post of mine that you quoted, I mentioned the snow depth maps (I should have used the full "accumulated snow depth" term).     They sometimes run a bit low, so I don't treat them as gospel, but I always view them in conjunction with the 10:1 maps.    When they're radically different, the model is trying to tell us that it's not nearly as favorable for big accumulations as the 10:1 maps show.    In the "no doubters", they'll be in the same ballpark.

I'm not sure some of the snow maps use algorithms that look at the full depth fo the soundings. The WxBell ones are usualy way overdone in my region unless I've got an arctic airmass in place.  This is a case where the accumulated snow depth shoulld be way better than the WxBell produce though it could fail in an S+ band with temps at the surface a tad above freezing. 

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1 minute ago, usedtobe said:

I'm not sure some of the snow maps use algorithms that look at the full depth fo the soundings. The WxBell ones are usualy way overdone in my region unless I've got an arctic airmass in place.  This is a case where the accumulated snow depth shoulld be way better than the WxBell produce though it could fail in an S+ band with temps at the surface a tad above freezing. 

     Wes, none of the snow maps use the soundings.    Any snow map for NAM and GFS (other than the accumulated snow depth) starts with the accumulated snow parameter (liquid equivalent) out of the model and applies a ratio of choice (10:1, Kuchera, Ferrier....).    The problem is that the accumulated snow parameter is misleading.    First, it tallies sleet in with snow.    But more importantly, it's computed by just taking the QPF x % of frozen precip (the percentage of hydrometeors falling as snow or sleet).     That means if you have 1" of liquid comprised of 50% snow flakes and 50% rain drops, even though we know that would never accumulated, the parameter shows 1" x .5 = 0.5" liquid of accumulated snow.    

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1 minute ago, high risk said:

     Wes, none of the snow maps use the soundings.    Any snow map for NAM and GFS (other than the accumulated snow depth) starts with the accumulated snow parameter (liquid equivalent) out of the model and applies a ratio of choice (10:1, Kuchera, Ferrier....).    The problem is that the accumulated snow parameter is misleading.    First, it tallies sleet in with snow.    But more importantly, it's computed by just taking the QPF x % of frozen precip (the percentage of hydrometeors falling as snow or sleet).     That means if you have 1" of liquid comprised of 50% snow flakes and 50% rain drops, even though we know that would never accumulated, the parameter shows 1" x .5 = 0.5" liquid of accumulated snow.    

Thanks, I've never liked the snow products that much as too many people seem to get stoked on the amounts where the real way of figuring snowfall accumulations is to look at sounding as also at the ground and near surface temps.   In this case none of them argue for high ratios and there are big questions about how quickly the temps aloft will warm up. 

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i don't know what's going to happen and not gonna go down the reserve psychology nancy route, but it's definitely not a boring storm.  the only thing i can think of is feb 87.  different systems, but the rates were ridiculous for several hours and we ended up with 10"+.  still one of the more savage short-term storms i've seen here.  if this ends up being 1/3 of that, then it's probably a win.

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If we end up with half of what the NAM is showing in terms of accumulations than it's a win. If the band's depicted on the RGEM and NAM's come in and are snow for a time...then I think a couple inches is not out of the realm. If snow, it would would be 1-2" per hr rates. 

40/28 with a southeast wind kicking up. Chances of all rain south and east of the cities seem to be on the rise. 

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6 minutes ago, 87storms said:

i don't know what's going to happen and not gonna go down the reserve psychology nancy route, but it's definitely not a boring storm.  the only thing i can think of is feb 87.  different systems, but the rates were ridiculous for several hours and we ended up with 10"+.  still one of the more savage short-term storms i've seen here.  if this ends up being 1/3 of that, then it's probably a win.

That was a much different storm.  It had a really strong southern system and had a 50 50 low to help lock in the cold air.  There never really were any question concerning ptype for DC.  

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Just now, usedtobe said:

That was a much different storm.  It had a really strong southern system and had a 50 50 low to help lock in the cold air.  There never really were any question concerning ptype for DC.  

yea i just remember we were forecast to have about 1-3" and ended up with about a foot, though it sounds like the lack of accuracy was due to amounts/rates, not so much temps.

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My snow shovel and ice melt has been outside on the porch waiting for the next storm which hasn't materialized for several weeks due to my over anticipation!  I have brought them both inside in anticipation of not needing them so plan on this storm to overachieve!  Sorry for screwing up the pattern for the last several weeks!

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40F here in Tyson’s. It’s pretty sunny right now and sure doesn’t feel like a snowstorm is coming. This has been a fun one to track. The quickness of the storm was always going to be an issue, and it’s looking like a 4-8pm event. Hopefully we can cash in before the switch over to rain. I don’t live in a favored area, so I’ll take what I get. Onto March...

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42 here and rising. Starting to feel that sun angle. :-)

Southern MD already had PD3 (2015) and PD4 (2016). This will definitely NOT be PD5 for me, but I’m just hoping we can at least get on the board, then I can say I had snow in three of the last four President’s Day weekends.

Hope you guys north and west can get something good!

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