✨Pittsburgh PA ❄ Winter 2018-2019

[KPITSnow]

19 hours ago, Rd9108 said:

One thing for sure we may not get the accumulations that we want but we may have a good chance for some pretty heavy rates. That's why I want another 94 before a 93 just because the rates in that storm were so incredible yet I was only 3. 

2/5-2/6 2010 was pretty intense. Basically got our best snows in a 12 hour window from 5pm-5am. Rates in that period were pretty consistently between 1-2 inches per hour as we got under multiple deform bands.

 

Hopefully one day we can get a storm with rates like this morning over a 12 hour period.

[RitualOfTheTrout]

6 hours ago, north pgh said:

4 inches here all coming between 6 and 10 am. Light rain now and 34. Pretty much expected. Nice little storm. Now we have one more month for the big one.

Couldn't have said it better myself. I think we all did a good job keeping expectations in check and the storm delivered on the heavy front end thump and 1in per hour rates that models were advertising. 

Looks like at least one more cold reload after the warmup this weekend so looking forward to tracking at least one more. 

[Burghblizz]

Great morning, although dicey commute. Got about 4” in just under 4 hours. If some of the Virga overnight would have translated in to snow, I think you would have seen  6 and 7” reports. Tops in the immediate area was around 5”

Edit: there was one report in Plum of 6”...which is possible considering there was a report of 5.3” in I believe Natrona.

4.2” officially....certainly the most exciting of the otherwise boring  ~28” total so far this year. 

[meatwad]

High Wind Watch

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
909 PM EST Fri Feb 22 2019


MDZ001-OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016-
020>023-029-031-073>076-WVZ001>004-012-021-509>514-231015-
/O.CON.KPBZ.HW.A.0001.190224T1200Z-190225T1200Z/
Garrett-Tuscarawas-Carroll-Columbiana-Coshocton-Harrison-
Jefferson OH-Muskingum-Guernsey-Belmont-Noble-Monroe-Mercer-
Venango-Forest-Lawrence-Butler-Clarion-Jefferson PA-Beaver-
Allegheny-Armstrong-Indiana-Washington-Greene-Westmoreland-
Westmoreland Ridges-Fayette-Fayette Ridges-Hancock-Brooke-Ohio-
Marshall-Wetzel-Marion-Monongalia-
Ridges of Eastern Monongalia and Northwestern Preston-Preston-
Eastern Preston-Western Tucker-Eastern Tucker-
Including the cities of Mountain Lake Park, Oakland MD,
Grantsville, New Philadelphia, Dover, Carrollton, Malvern,
East Liverpool, Salem, Columbiana, Coshocton, Cadiz,
Steubenville, Zanesville, Cambridge, Martins Ferry,
St. Clairsville, Caldwell, Woodsfield, Sharon, Hermitage,
Grove City, Oil City, Franklin, Tionesta, New Castle,
Ellwood City, Butler, Clarion, Punxsutawney, Brookville,
Aliquippa, Beaver Falls, Ambridge, Monaca, Pittsburgh Metro Area,
Kittanning, Ford City, Indiana, Washington, Canonsburg,
Waynesburg, Murrysville, Greensburg, New Kensington, Ligonier,
Donegal, Uniontown, Champion, Ohiopyle, Weirton, Follansbee,
Wellsburg, Wheeling, Moundsville, New Martinsville, Fairmont,
Morgantown, Coopers Rock, Kingwood, Bruceton Mills, Terra Alta,
Rowlesburg, Hazelton, Parsons, Hendricks, Saint George, Davis,
Thomas, and Canaan Valley
909 PM EST Fri Feb 22 2019

...HIGH WIND WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH
MONDAY MORNING...

* WINDS...West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 55 mph.

* TIMING...Strongest winds expected Sunday morning through
  Sunday evening.

* IMPACTS...Strong winds may blow down limbs, trees, and power
  lines. Scattered power outages are likely.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A High Wind Watch means there is the potential for a hazardous
high wind event. Sustained winds of at least 40 mph, or gusts of
58 mph or stronger may occur. Continue to monitor the latest
forecasts.

 

[meatwad]

High Wind Warning

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
234 PM EST Sat Feb 23 2019

MDZ001-OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016-
020>023-029-031-073>076-WVZ001>004-012-021-509>514-240345-
/O.UPG.KPBZ.HW.A.0001.190224T1200Z-190225T1200Z/
/O.NEW.KPBZ.HW.W.0002.190224T1200Z-190225T1200Z/
Garrett-Tuscarawas-Carroll-Columbiana-Coshocton-Harrison-
Jefferson OH-Muskingum-Guernsey-Belmont-Noble-Monroe-Mercer-
Venango-Forest-Lawrence-Butler-Clarion-Jefferson PA-Beaver-
Allegheny-Armstrong-Indiana-Washington-Greene-Westmoreland-
Westmoreland Ridges-Fayette-Fayette Ridges-Hancock-Brooke-Ohio-
Marshall-Wetzel-Marion-Monongalia-
Ridges of Eastern Monongalia and Northwestern Preston-Preston-
Eastern Preston-Western Tucker-Eastern Tucker-
Including the cities of Mountain Lake Park, Oakland MD,
Grantsville, New Philadelphia, Dover, Carrollton, Malvern,
East Liverpool, Salem, Columbiana, Coshocton, Cadiz,
Steubenville, Zanesville, Cambridge, Martins Ferry,
St. Clairsville, Caldwell, Woodsfield, Sharon, Hermitage,
Grove City, Oil City, Franklin, Tionesta, New Castle,
Ellwood City, Butler, Clarion, Punxsutawney, Brookville,
Aliquippa, Beaver Falls, Ambridge, Monaca, Pittsburgh Metro Area,
Kittanning, Ford City, Indiana, Washington, Canonsburg,
Waynesburg, Murrysville, Greensburg, New Kensington, Ligonier,
Donegal, Uniontown, Champion, Ohiopyle, Weirton, Follansbee,
Wellsburg, Wheeling, Moundsville, New Martinsville, Fairmont,
Morgantown, Coopers Rock, Kingwood, Bruceton Mills, Terra Alta,
Rowlesburg, Hazelton, Parsons, Hendricks, Saint George, Davis,
Thomas, and Canaan Valley
234 PM EST Sat Feb 23 2019

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM SUNDAY TO 7 AM EST
MONDAY...

The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh has issued a High Wind
Warning, which is in effect from 7 AM Sunday to 7 AM EST Monday.
The High Wind Watch is no longer in effect.

* WINDS...West 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.

* TIMING...Strongest winds expected Sunday morning through
  Sunday evening.

* IMPACTS...Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines.
  Widespread power outages are expected. Travel will be
  difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A High Wind Warning means a hazardous high wind event is expected
or occurring. Sustained wind speeds of at least 40 mph or gusts
of 58 mph or more can lead to property damage.

Please report wind damage by calling 412-262-1988, posting to
the NWS Pittsburgh Facebook page, or using Twitter @NWSPITTSBURGH

&&

$$

 

[KPITSnow]

Not in the least looking forward to this tomorrow.

[Ethel975]

7 hours ago, KPITSnow said:

Not in the least looking forward to this tomorrow.

I completely agree.

I've prepped as much as I can for a power outage. Hoping for the best and preparing for the worst :/

[RitualOfTheTrout]

Everyone hoping for that last "warning" criteria event before Spring.. Well we finally got one! Guess we needed to be more specific. 

Now if only we could get a Winter Storm Warning... 

[Mailman]

Euro d10 looks promising.

[MikeB_01]

46 mph on my roof so far. Shook the entire house. Really makes me wonder what living through a hurricane must feel like. 

[stjbeautifulday]

5 minutes ago, MikeB_01 said:

46 mph on my roof so far. Shook the entire house. Really makes me wonder what living through a hurricane must feel like. 

We have a home on St. John, USVI.  If you are interested read some about it-stories from the people who lived through it.  We were very lucky we only had some water damage. But listening to the stories of people I know there, it just sounds so surreal.  Glass doors and windows were bowing in at our condo.  I can’t imagine sitting and watching windows bowing.  They say the noises they heard, of metal bending and wind just moaning were terrifying.  And the first power to the island wasn’t restored until 52 days later.  

[cwc]

14 minutes ago, MikeB_01 said:

46 mph on my roof so far. Shook the entire house. Really makes me wonder what living through a hurricane must feel like. 

i lived through Andrew, lived just north of Homestead.  eye missed us, was in the eyewall the entire time.  it was hours of pure hell.  horitzonal rain in the house...blew out almost all the windows.  we were lucky because our house was concrete block built in the 70s, not wood frame.

PTSD is a thing.  These wind events f me up.  at least its daytime though.  peak andrew was 1am - 5am

ill post some pics some day.

[RitualOfTheTrout]

1 hour ago, Mailman said:

Euro d10 looks promising.

Yeah.. To bad it doesn't run out another 48 hours. Would be cool to see that even though we all know the caveats of day 10. If the models keep spitting out monsters we at least know it "possible". 

[north pgh]

Power out all over ross, mccandless and west view. Sitting in the dark. 

[Burghblizz]

Highest gusts in the area that I saw so far was KLBE at 66. AGC gusted to 60 and I believe PIT to 55. I doubt a lot of citizen observers are capturing correct gusts. They appear to be understated. 

This is no joke....Im not sure I remember a prolonged wind event like this where it’s hours and hours of it. It might be 3.13.93, although pure wind events don’t necessarily stick in my head. 

Had some sleet earlier when the temp was close to 40. Assuming steep lapse rates contributed to that. 

[PghPirates27]

In Shaler still somehow have power. Lights dimmed a few times. House fan is going nuts. That thing is so loud when we get heavy winds. My grill cover is stuck on my neighbors fence.

[MikeB_01]

Highest gusts in the area that I saw so far was KLBE at 66. AGC gusted to 60 and I believe PIT to 55. I doubt a lot of citizen observers are capturing correct gusts. They appear to be understated. 
This is no joke....Im not sure I remember a prolonged wind event like this where it’s hours and hours of it. It might be 3.13.93, although pure wind events don’t necessarily stick in my head. 
Had some sleet earlier when the temp was close to 40. Assuming steep lapse rates contributed to that. 

My station made it all the way to 54 today. Not exactly sure how accurate it is, but the when it picked up 54, the views outside were an entirely different level. Trees severely bending, windows rattling, random things flying across my yard. It was crazy.

My guess is the sleet that you saw was the same graupel that I saw. I had temps in the 40s as well. Graupel makes sense with the lower levels of the atmosphere being so unstable today.

Wind still howling out there. Gusts getting up into the low 40s still.


.

[north pgh]

I am usually not critical of NWS Pittsburgh but I am disappointed in a decision they made last night. My mothers power went out last night around 6:30 pm and I had to go to her house and bring her to my house. This was around 8:00 pm. I walked her to my car and the winds were howling possibly the strongest sustained of the day. I got home and had trouble getting her out of the car and into my house because of the wind. I get in the house and within 15 minutes my power goes out. 2 big branches crash off of my pine tree in the back yard and the house is shaking in the dark. Then I log on to my iphone to get updates and I get this from NWS Twitter page. The High Wind Warning has been downgraded to a Wind Advisory for all but the eastern edge of our forecast area as wind gusts weaken below warning criteria this evening but remain elevated overnight.

For the next 5 or 6 hours after midnight I have no power and the house continues to shake with strong wind gusts over 50 mph or so. Did they really need to issue a downgrade at this time? Because when I told my wife this she thought things we getting worse outside. The only difference I saw was with the advisory winds were gusting to 50 and the warning winds were gusting to 60. What is the difference? It is damaging wind. By using the word downgrade how many people thought it was safer now and relax? 

[Burghblizz]

45 minutes ago, north pgh said:

I am usually not critical of NWS Pittsburgh but I am disappointed in a decision they made last night. My mothers power went out last night around 6:30 pm and I had to go to her house and bring her to my house. This was around 8:00 pm. I walked her to my car and the winds were howling possibly the strongest sustained of the day. I got home and had trouble getting her out of the car and into my house because of the wind. I get in the house and within 15 minutes my power goes out. 2 big branches crash off of my pine tree in the back yard and the house is shaking in the dark. Then I log on to my iphone to get updates and I get this from NWS Twitter page. The High Wind Warning has been downgraded to a Wind Advisory for all but the eastern edge of our forecast area as wind gusts weaken below warning criteria this evening but remain elevated overnight.

For the next 5 or 6 hours after midnight I have no power and the house continues to shake with strong wind gusts over 50 mph or so. Did they really need to issue a downgrade at this time? Because when I told my wife this she thought things we getting worse outside. The only difference I saw was with the advisory winds were gusting to 50 and the warning winds were gusting to 60. What is the difference? It is damaging wind. By using the word downgrade how many people thought it was safer now and relax? 

I agree with you. It’s technically gusts over 58. But a lot of places were still very close and I think Washington, Pa gusted to 60 as late as 10:00 PM.

Plus like I said before, I don’t think the citizen observer data is as good. So I’m sure there were many other pockets that had those types of gusts late in to the evening.

Edit: some data to support your argument. KPIT hit 61 at 8:20, and KAGC hit 61 just after MIDNIGHT. The NWS office which is like a mile to the NW of the airport hit 65 MPH just before midnight. 

 So it’s not even correct on a technicality. It was a bad call during one of the more destructive weather days in awhile. 

[CoraopolisWx]

Yeah, I also noticed a regeneration of the winds around 930 last night. 

Almost like a second wave. 

[Mailman]

Power was out here from 9:30pm to 4:00am.  I don't remember a long-lasting wind event like that.  It was hammering pretty good for a while. Wish we could've gotten that with the snow rates from the other morning.  Then again, my power would probably still be off.  Looks like cold settling in for a little bit as we begin March.  Be nice to get some wintry precipitation to go along with it this time. 

Agree with the poster above about the "downgrade" from High Wind Warning to an advisory.  Saw a lot of people commenting on it on Facebook.  

[Burghblizz]

16 minutes ago, Mailman said:

Power was out here from 9:30pm to 4:00am.  I don't remember a long-lasting wind event like that.  It was hammering pretty good for a while. Wish we could've gotten that with the snow rates from the other morning.  Then again, my power would probably still be off.  Looks like cold settling in for a little bit as we begin March.  Be nice to get some wintry precipitation to go along with it this time. 

Agree with the poster above about the "downgrade" from High Wind Warning to an advisory.  Saw a lot of people commenting on it on Facebook.  

True Blizzards are the promised land....but if you prefer to be outside to experience the snow, those kind of winds are rough. 

[Rd9108]

Well next threat looks like a slider. Sounds about right. 

[jwilson]

There hasn't been a coastal all year.  I believe any threat of a Miller A in this pattern is quite DOA.  Flow is flat at best, there are too many little waves taking energy from each other.

I'm ready for next year, honestly.  Maybe we can finally escape this pacific flow (and lose the moisture train in the process).

Unless we get a '93 repeat, but chances of that are about one in a million.

JINX

[KPITSnow]

The wind storm was one of the most impressive I can remember. Given official gusts that are only taken at one specific spot, I would not be shocked in the least if there were a few 70mph gusts scattered through the region. 

The main thing I take from this is that if we ever get a wind storm like this in a month where there is foliage, the damage would be pretty catastrophic. Whether it be an early fall mega storm or a tropical system, it would take down a ton more trees. A lot of the trees down were pines, so just imagine all trees carrying a ton of extra weight with leaves. 

 

Also, agree with the statements upthread..it was dumb to cancel the warning. I think in general the NWS could use some common sense on issuance of warnings.

For example, last weeks snow event was about as impactful as we ca have in a short period, and the timing was awful. The normal person though sees advisory rather than warming and thinks it won’t be that bad.

[Mailman]

Euro showing the white stuff for my birthday.  Hope it holds! 

[RitualOfTheTrout]

16 hours ago, KPITSnow said:

The wind storm was one of the most impressive I can remember. Given official gusts that are only taken at one specific spot, I would not be shocked in the least if there were a few 70mph gusts scattered through the region. 

The main thing I take from this is that if we ever get a wind storm like this in a month where there is foliage, the damage would be pretty catastrophic. Whether it be an early fall mega storm or a tropical system, it would take down a ton more trees. A lot of the trees down were pines, so just imagine all trees carrying a ton of extra weight with leaves. 

 

Also, agree with the statements upthread..it was dumb to cancel the warning. I think in general the NWS could use some common sense on issuance of warnings.

For example, last weeks snow event was about as impactful as we ca have in a short period, and the timing was awful. The normal person though sees advisory rather than warming and thinks it won’t be that bad.

I was thinking the same thing, that was probably the only saving grace is that there was no foliage. Other thing that could have been bigger impact was if it came after an ice storm or heavy wet snow. It was impressive both in terms of strength and the length of time. I fared very well, power blinked off for about 20 seconds Sunday evening around 6:15pm, no damage to my home or trees in the yard.

[RitualOfTheTrout]

15 hours ago, Mailman said:

Euro showing the white stuff for my birthday.  Hope it holds! 

So many moving parts its going to hard to have much confidence in anything outside of 96 hours in this fast flow. Certainly an chance something amps just right to give us a good snowfall. I'm still in for a 4-6 type event or larger, but starting to lose interest in the 1-2 / 2-4 type deals this time of year.

Looking way down the line, we probably have a shot at snow for at least 2 more weeks, after that tropical forcing heads back into the warm phases, which is fine by me. Once you get to the third week of March bring on a big ridge and some dry weather for a few weeks. Would be nice to have a decent Spring for once.

[CoraopolisWx]

GFS and Canadian like Sunday. Just have to see if the Euro comes south any.

[CoraopolisWx]

Euro nudged south a bit. Hopefully the trend continues.