Front Range snowstorm nowcast/conditions 3/13-15

[donsutherland1]

From the National Weather Service in Cheyenne:

818 
CDUS45 KCYS 150333
CLICYS

CLIMATE REPORT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
933 PM MDT SUN MAR 14 2021

...................................

...THE CHEYENNE WYOMING AIRPORT CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH 14 2021...
VALID TODAY AS OF 0900 PM LOCAL TIME.

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1871 TO 2021


WEATHER ITEM   OBSERVED TIME   RECORD YEAR NORMAL DEPARTURE LAST      
                VALUE   (LST)  VALUE       VALUE  FROM      YEAR     
                                                  NORMAL           
...................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)                                                          
 TODAY                                                               
  MAXIMUM         31    144 AM  70    2003  47    -16       30       
  MINIMUM         23    759 PM -17    1880  24     -1       24       
  AVERAGE         27                        36     -9       27     

PRECIPITATION (IN)                                                    
  TODAY            1.91R         1.29 1946   0.03   1.88     0.01     
  MONTH TO DATE    2.61                      0.41   2.20     0.42     
  SINCE MAR 1      2.61                      0.41   2.20     0.42     
  SINCE JAN 1      3.33                      1.21   2.12     1.21     

SNOWFALL (IN)                                                              
  TODAY           22.2 R        11.5  1946   0.4   21.8      0.1      
  MONTH TO DATE   33.3                       4.8   28.5      2.7      
  SINCE MAR 1     33.3                       4.8   28.5      2.7      
  SINCE JUL 1     70.5                      41.3   29.2     55.6      
  SNOW DEPTH      14                                                 

DEGREE DAYS                                                           
 HEATING                                                              
  TODAY           38                        29      9       38        
  MONTH TO DATE  386                       433    -47      375        
  SINCE MAR 1    386                       433    -47      375        
  SINCE JUL 1   5304                      5452   -148     5360        

 COOLING                                                              
  TODAY            0                         0      0        0        
  MONTH TO DATE    0                         0      0        0        
  SINCE MAR 1      0                         0      0        0        
  SINCE JAN 1      0                         0      0        0        
...................................................................


WIND (MPH)                                                            
  HIGHEST WIND SPEED    36   HIGHEST WIND DIRECTION     N (360)       
  HIGHEST GUST SPEED    54   HIGHEST GUST DIRECTION     N (350)       
  AVERAGE WIND SPEED    23.3                                        


SKY COVER                                                             
  POSSIBLE SUNSHINE  MM                                                 
  AVERAGE SKY COVER 1.0                                                 


WEATHER CONDITIONS                                                    
THE FOLLOWING WEATHER WAS RECORDED TODAY.                             
  THUNDERSTORM                                                        
  HEAVY SNOW                                                          
  SNOW                                                                
  LIGHT SNOW                                                          
  FOG                                                                 
  FOG W/VISIBILITY <= 1/4 MILE                                        


RELATIVE HUMIDITY (PERCENT)
 HIGHEST   100          1200 AM                                      
 LOWEST     88          1100 AM                                      
 AVERAGE    94                                                        

..........................................................


THE CHEYENNE WYOMING AIRPORT CLIMATE NORMALS FOR TOMORROW
                         NORMAL    RECORD    YEAR                     
 MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE (F)   48        76      2015                      
 MINIMUM TEMPERATURE (F)   24       -13      1880                      


SUNRISE AND SUNSET                                                    
MARCH 14 2021.........SUNRISE   712 AM MDT   SUNSET   705 PM MDT     
MARCH 15 2021.........SUNRISE   710 AM MDT   SUNSET   706 PM MDT     


-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.




$$

The 22.2” daily snowfall beats the old daily record of 19.8”, which was set on November 20, 1979. The 30.3” storm total surpasses the 25.6” that fell during November 19-21, 1979 to become Cheyenne’s biggest snowstorm on record.

[Jebman]

3 hours ago, MidlothianWX said:

I have at least 19". I haven't measured consistently enough and my board is in a bad spot. The Boulder COOP station right down the road had 18.1" at 2:30 so I'll be interested to see what their final is.

I decided to skin up and ski down the NCAR hill with my roommate - it was a blast.

Need a little help diggin' out? I could be up there in a day.

[Jebman]

7 hours ago, donsutherland1 said:

It's an amazing storm.

Also, would you mind if I add your photo to my winter storms photos site.

Don, Your winter storms photos site is absolutely LEGENDARY!

[mayjawintastawm]

21.2" for an almost-final. 35 hours since it began. Still snowing lightly off and on. Wish I didn't have a day full of Zoom meetings with East Coast people tomorrow!

[AlaskaETC]

NWS Riverton on Twitter: "⚠️All-Time Record Snowfall in Casper, WY⚠️ This snowstorm could be a top-3 all-time snowfall for Casper, WY. Here is a look at where the current storm stands against the all-time snowiest events. #wywx https://t.co/YGfK06mhBa" / Twitter

26.3" in Casper, 21.2" today alone. I was a little lazy in measuring, but I thought we got way less than that! The radar returns weren't looking great, but I guess it was radar shadowing or something.

[Jebman]

Which ski resort in Colorado or Wyoming typically gets the most snow in the March blockbuster blizzards?

One day, I am gonna position myself in one of those ski resorts and get my fill of snow WITHOUT the responsibilities I faced on the ranch down here in south central Texas during the Frozentine Day After Tomorrow Event last month. I'll just jebwalk myself to death in a mammoth 6 foot blizzard with headphones blasting, all without a care in the snowy world!

[AlaskaETC]

1 minute ago, Jebman said:

Which ski resort in Colorado or Wyoming typically gets the most snow in the March blockbuster blizzards?

One day, I am gonna position myself in one of those ski resorts and get my fill of snow WITHOUT the responsibilities I faced on the ranch down here in south central Texas during the Frozentine Day After Tomorrow Event last month. I'll just jebwalk myself to death in a mammoth 6 foot blizzard with headphones blasting, all without a care in the snowy world!

Anywhere in the Front Range would get you plenty of snow every year. 

[MidlothianWX]

5 minutes ago, Jebman said:

Which ski resort in Colorado or Wyoming typically gets the most snow in the March blockbuster blizzards?

One day, I am gonna position myself in one of those ski resorts and get my fill of snow WITHOUT the responsibilities I faced on the ranch down here in south central Texas during the Frozentine Day After Tomorrow Event last month. I'll just jebwalk myself to death in a mammoth 6 foot blizzard with headphones blasting, all without a care in the snowy world!

Wolf Creek, Silverton, and Loveland top the list for annual snowfall. I want to say that even Wolf Creek saw 2ft+ from this event.

Eldora normally does well with the juicy Front Range storms.

[skierinvermont]

1 hour ago, MidlothianWX said:

Wolf Creek, Silverton, and Loveland top the list for annual snowfall. I want to say that even Wolf Creek saw 2ft+ from this event.

Eldora normally does well with the juicy Front Range storms.

Winter Park and Steamboat too. I've always been suspicious of Loveland's claim to 400". Winter Park often seems to get more.

[skierinvermont]

24" on the ground final measurement. I also cleared my patio table and got 19.5" before and 8.5" after which would suggest 27". Quite a bit of compaction and melting near the ground so no doubt that clearing a board would give at least 27" probably more.

[donsutherland1]

[smokeybandit]

I'm going to go with 18-20"

Trying to snow blow that heavy wet snow gave me one more reminder of why I'm glad I don't live in the mid atlantic anymore

[Ginx snewx]

12 hours ago, finnster said:

Yea it’s an amazing amount of snow.  Open our patio door and there’s a 5 ft. bank of snow staring at you.

In Nov. 2019 we got 30” of snow from a storm right before Thanksgiving - that storm took a similar track as this one, but this one apparently stalled in a very favorable location.

Sweet. How about a pic or 2

[MidlothianWX]

The official total in Boulder is 20.7" with 2.08" QPF. This makes it the 15th highest storm total all-time.

[NGTim]

10 minutes ago, MidlothianWX said:

The official total in Boulder is 20.7" with 2.08" QPF.

Thanks for that. I road tripped from Georgia to Boulder for this so I’d call 20 inches a success.  Had a blast in your town

[Chinook]

As per CoCoRAHS, my area got 3.21" - 3.59" of liquid equivalent and 26" - 29.6" of snowfall. 

edit:

CoCoRAHS mid-Fort Collins got 21" and maybe 2.50" to 3.00" of liquid equivalent (there are a couple dozen CoCoRAHS reports, so hard to average everything)

[smokeybandit]

 

[raindancewx]

One of these days a series of storms like in 1949 will show up for you guys in CO/WY. Snowfall patterns nationally have been somewhat similar to 1947-48 this winter, so it may not be too long if we're real lucky. The first storm in that crazy sequence in 1949 actually took a similar track to the most recent storm.

Taos Powderhorn had 25 inches of snow yesterday, down here at 11,000 feet. Storm definitely helped our snow pack. Storm Tuesday should help too. 

 

[Chinook]

With the CoCoRAHS observations of at least 26" in my area, this is the largest storm I have ever lived through. Even with the 3" of liquid equivalent, this is larger than any 2-day rain or snow event in Fort Collins/Loveland I can think of, and also larger than most rain events that I could ever think of when I lived in Ohio or Michigan.

[skierinvermont]

7 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

 

Looks low around the denver area? DIA reported 27" but map shows <24". Lots of reports around the metro of >24".

When these maps are created are they using spotters doing 6 hour clearing of a board? Or is it based on people sticking a yardstick in the ground after the storm? Seems more consistent with the latter.

[mayjawintastawm]

1 hour ago, skierinvermont said:

Looks low around the denver area? DIA reported 27" but map shows <24". Lots of reports around the metro of >24".

When these maps are created are they using spotters doing 6 hour clearing of a board? Or is it based on people sticking a yardstick in the ground after the storm? Seems more consistent with the latter.

I got 22" using the 6 hour board clearing method, and I'm nestled right in the I25-I225-E470 nook, near APA. Highlands Ranch, 8 miles southwest, got 19.5" (not sure how measured). Both are in the light purple, so it tracks. Pretty sure DIA was the only one >27" among reports in the immediate Metro area within the 470/NW parkway "beltway". The real interesting thing is when I went for a walk today in Cherry Creek State Park, I expected to find that the snow had drifted as it usually does, with wind from the N or NE. But actually it looks from the drifts like the wind was 340-350 most of yesterday, which is not usually conducive to high snow amounts here.

[Heisy]

You guys see the 00z CMC over the next 10 days? Has another big Denver event Day 8-9, and also seems to be a big hit over weekend. Maybe ill fly back out here

[Chinook]

more pics

[skierinvermont]

12 hours ago, mayjawintastawm said:

I got 22" using the 6 hour board clearing method, and I'm nestled right in the I25-I225-E470 nook, near APA. Highlands Ranch, 8 miles southwest, got 19.5" (not sure how measured). Both are in the light purple, so it tracks. Pretty sure DIA was the only one >27" among reports in the immediate Metro area within the 470/NW parkway "beltway". The real interesting thing is when I went for a walk today in Cherry Creek State Park, I expected to find that the snow had drifted as it usually does, with wind from the N or NE. But actually it looks from the drifts like the wind was 340-350 most of yesterday, which is not usually conducive to high snow amounts here.

 

Saw this posted in Seth's weather group. Arvada 29" Golden 28" Aurora 27" Lakewood 27" Louisville 26" Westminster 26" Arvada 25" Centennial 24". I got 27" clearing once at 3pm Sunday, probably would have had close to 30" if I cleared Saturday night. Seemed to justify a little more >24" in the western and eastern suburbs. The low spots being SW Denver, downtown, and Boulder.

 

 

S

[finnster]

This is a little late but I got a request for some pics from our house southwest of Bellvue.  We measured 40" on our back patio (the middle pic), I've seen some Colorado Climate Center reports for the Bellvue area that ranged from 33-36" - so probably fair to say we're in that range.

In any event its a LOT of snow and we have not been able to get out of our place yet, except on snow shoes.

[MidlothianWX]

21 minutes ago, skierinvermont said:

 

Saw this posted in Seth's weather group. Arvada 29" Golden 28" Aurora 27" Lakewood 27" Louisville 26" Westminster 26" Arvada 25" Centennial 24". I got 27" clearing once at 3pm Sunday, probably would have had close to 30" if I cleared Saturday night. Seemed to justify a little more >24" in the western and eastern suburbs. The low spots being SW Denver, downtown, and Boulder.

It's amazing how accurate the meso models were, particularly the HRRR (even though precip was off by a bit). Saturday night / Sunday morning I was seeing a hole/shadow over Boulder but higher totals to the south (JeffCo/Golden) and east (Louisville/Westminster), all of which verified. I even mentioned it to Seth on his FB page and he basically said proximity to the mountains can be both a blessing and a curse for Boulder.

It's sort of frustrating that areas ~20 minutes away from me received 2ft+ - I really wanted to break my all-time IMBY record of 25" - but what are you 'gonna do. I've witnessed two 20"+ IMBY events in 16 months after going 16 years without one, which is pretty neat. Plus, the record-breaking season last year and the September snow.

[skierinvermont]

1 hour ago, MidlothianWX said:

It's amazing how accurate the meso models were, particularly the HRRR (even though precip was off by a bit). Saturday night / Sunday morning I was seeing a hole/shadow over Boulder but higher totals to the south (JeffCo/Golden) and east (Louisville/Westminster), all of which verified. I even mentioned it to Seth on his FB page and he basically said proximity to the mountains can be both a blessing and a curse for Boulder.

It's sort of frustrating that areas ~20 minutes away from me received 2ft+ - I really wanted to break my all-time IMBY record of 25" - but what are you 'gonna do. I've witnessed two 20"+ IMBY events in 16 months after going 16 years without one, which is pretty neat. Plus, the record-breaking season last year and the September snow.

Yeah I remember you posting that and seeing it too. Could be the wind was a little too northerly for Boulder. The foothills north and south of Boulder bend east so they are a little surrounded and maybe need a little more east component to the wind in order to not downslope. Also when you bike 93 you can really feel the high terrain between golden and Boulder. Gets up over 6200 on the road. That’s probably the terrain the hrrr was catching onto with a north or nne surface wind.

[Ginx snewx]

2 hours ago, finnster said:

This is a little late but I got a request for some pics from our house southwest of Bellvue.  We measured 40" on our back patio (the middle pic), I've seen some Colorado Climate Center reports for the Bellvue area that ranged from 33-36" - so probably fair to say we're in that range.

In any event its a LOT of snow and we have not been able to get out of our place yet, except on snow shoes.

Epic man

[skierinvermont]

Climbed a 300’ hill in the neighborhood and there were still ten foot drift on top

[Chinook]

loops

http://www.greatlakes.salsite.com/Mar_14_2021_500mb_loop.html

http://www.greatlakes.salsite.com/Mar_14_2021_GFS_sfc_loop.html

http://www.greatlakes.salsite.com/Mar_14_2021_radar_loop.html

radar loop in fact did not include KFTG radar information for some or all of the loop due to some weird problem that I've never seen before (as was shown on the fact that KFTG radar data was not getting to Radarscope)