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Jan 31st - 33rd Storm Obs and Disco like it's 1979


Bob Chill
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Based on 18z obs the primary low has deflated to 1003 mb in n KY but the circulation is very flabby within 100 miles of the center, indicating that the coastal transfer is starting to develop.

The wave formation near the coast is most evident near SAV, when an impulse now forming near the AL-GA border catches up to this coastal wave that should initiate the coastal as a separate circulation around 00-02z. Models seemed to be struggling with multiple coastal vortices that suddenly jump forward towards NJ, in reality there would probably be something more organized by 12z east of Hatteras. 

What this looks like is analogous to the blizzard of 1888 only aimed more at NJ/PA than LI/CT. There will quite likely be some enormous snowfalls in eastern PA and the contours around those maxima would be quite impressive even into MD, DE and NJ. Local amounts of 40" or even higher would not be surprising given the curved moisture feed aimed at one region for 24h. 

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1 minute ago, North Balti Zen said:

Still refusing to look at radar but if your note includes balt city can confirm it continues to come down at a pretty good clip here. We have a chance to maximize the WAA piece way more than I hoped yesterday. 

Getting nothing right now in east Baltimore county but have about 2” otg

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16 minutes ago, Roger Smith said:

Not as pessimistic as some here after looking at 12z guidance and current analysis. The GEM and GFS both show quite a strong curved trajectory towards ACY for the coastal and still hint at a stall if not a loop. While this would obviously jackpot e PA, last time I looked there are no states between PA and MD and that jackpot is only 30-50 miles into PA so would expect at least the northern tier of MD counties to approach 20" snowfalls -- the higher this jackpot goes, the better MD does, there would be no physical rule to say that the more snow falls in PA then less would fall in MD. Also the dynamics of this are quite unusual, especially if the CMC is right and they do after all have as good a set of the data input over the current complex upper pattern as any rival model would have. 

Looking at 12z analysis, the low in the Midwest is not stacked but has an unusual C-shaped vertical profile from 500 mb in nw IN to surface in se IN (at that time) with 700 and 850 back in IL. That will distort over 24h into the coastal setup and the hook will then be rotated about 90 deg (counter-clockwise) anchored by a 500 mb low over VA, to a surface low bombing east of Delaware. I think with these unusual dynamics there could be more wrap around effect than you might expect with a more standard Miller B. 

As to bust calls at this early stage, most of the potential of this storm is Monday-Tuesday, I would not write it off anywhere in the mid-Atlantic and especially not in ne MD or n DE. It could be a 60h storm with an interruption later today, so even if 40 of those hours only produced 0.2" inch snowfalls that's still 8.0" and some of these hours tomorrow into Tuesday will produce considerably more, would expect at least moderate snow in some of the bands extending into MD (S+ obviously possible and will be widely reported in PA and NJ, NYC). 

Another consideration is that if a lot of very mild air dams up against a wall of cold south of Long Island while the low is stalling or looping, then some of that will be entrained west across NJ and PA and around the circulation which may create a warm seclusion, which is probably that feature on some models that rotates back across MD in latter stages of the storm.

Anyway, bottom line is this will turn into an intense coastal almost without a direct parallel and do its own thing with memorable results, and you have a front row seat, enjoy. 

Nice Post...Thank You!!

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1 minute ago, North Balti Zen said:

Still refusing to look at radar but if your note includes balt city can confirm it continues to come down at a pretty good clip here. We have a chance to maximize the WAA piece way more than I hoped yesterday. 

Yes, we have a band on the way and more in line behind it.  As @WxUSAF said, it ain't sexy but its steady.  Should be a great afternoon. I'm heading out for a walk in the local cemetery in a few minutes.

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5 minutes ago, Roger Smith said:

Based on 18z obs the primary low has deflated to 1003 mb in n KY but the circulation is very flabby within 100 miles of the center, indicating that the coastal transfer is starting to develop.

The wave formation near the coast is most evident near SAV, when an impulse now forming near the AL-GA border catches up to this coastal wave that should initiate the coastal as a separate circulation around 00-02z. Models seemed to be struggling with multiple coastal vortices that suddenly jump forward towards NJ, in reality there would probably be something more organized by 12z east of Hatteras. 

What this looks like is analogous to the blizzard of 1888 only aimed more at NJ/PA than LI/CT. There will quite likely be some enormous snowfalls in eastern PA and the contours around those maxima would be quite impressive even into MD, DE and NJ. Local amounts of 40" or even higher would not be surprising given the curved moisture feed aimed at one region for 24h. 

Wow. Hope you’re right!

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Bummer on the personal. Where  is home vs now? 
The book on Miller  Bs is mostly don’t work around here. They are 100% forecasted and 25% realized. This is Again where analog experiences will Trump models every time 
I am realizing now most all posters  don’t have 20-50 years of weather observations and recordation so naturally models are the focus. I mean honestly models have shown coastal from 150 miles east  of OC moving improbably back west, a 24 hour stall, then tucked around Norfolk and now down along NC/SC  coastline. The downright hatred of me because I say these things is hopefully now muted by one of  the best longtime posters here returning from a lengthy absence and saying a lot of the same things.
i want a big event and good weather experiences at all times but there is more to observations, anticipation, forecasting and reporting during the event than  models. 

I grew up in Baltimore and live in Midland, TX now. I lived in Baltimore/MoCo area for basically 28 years, so I know how Miller B’s work in climo. The models were not showing an improbable western motion considering the UL evolution of the 5H and 7H levels as both were displaying a more southern transition latitude which would invoke a capture of the low level circulation and force it back westward between Norfolk and OCMD. It’s happened plenty of other times. The storm is still going to stall, just at a further north latitude due to a late capture as the 5H low and 7H inflection over the OH Valley went further north than most global guidance was indicating. However, the ensemble guidance did keep that within the envelope of reason, so there was concern for a northern trend always on the table based on both climo and NWP signals.

I never poopoo observational analysis since it is very important with regards to trends, but you can’t base it during long range forecasting with time frames of significance to EM’s and DOT workers for prep times and decision making. That’s where NWP comes in and inside 72 hrs is when you utilize Observational trends and NWP to your advantage. I’ve seen your take on modern NWP, and as someone who analyzes the statistical variance and overall scoring after UA and surface reanalysis, you don’t give NWP nearly enough credit for what it produces. Analogs are why Midland nailed the end of 2020 historic snowstorm
out here and we blew away our neighboring offices. I’m a huge fan of CIPS and it’s database. Your expertise in regional climo and historical data keeping will absolutely help you in varying setups and it is appreciated during short term trends, but it will absolutely not work with decision making at a local and state level where 72-96 hrs is necessary for planning and staging. Being overly prepared is better than the alternative, despite the respite it might incur from up top in government settings.

I would never mute you for any reason unless you actually disrespected me on a personal level or are attacking me, so you’ll never get the mute. Hopefully you can cash this afternoon on more snow as I bathe under sun and the typical cirrus. I hope to get back East and extend my career while improving my forecasting abilities and helping the general public. I also want to get back to the area I grew up in, or at least within the Northeast US vicinity.

Enjoy the snow


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5 minutes ago, WxUSAF said:

Ugh that better band is over me and still just teeny flakes 

Had a mini version of that here. Flakes are taking their time falling I suppose. Best rates/flakes (not impressive but notably different) happened after the band on radar was moving out. 

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Just now, Bob Chill said:

Had a mini version of that here. Flakes are taking their time falling I suppose. Best rates/flakes (not impressive but notably different) happened after the band on radar was moving out. 

Yeah, they just became non-microscopic. When the bigger flakes have happened today, it’s a respectable 0.5”/hr or so. 

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