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Upstate/Eastern New York- Jan 5-7 Lake Effect Snow Event


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well they beat the living hell out of the fact about the inversion heights being low.  maybe a fist half dud but a second half stud?

H85 temps will plummet to roughly -15C through the night. This will
establish sufficient over-water instability over the 37-40F (+3 to
+4c) lakes and set the stage for accumulating snows in both the
Buffalo and Watertown metro areas. Due to stronger winds tonight and
strongest lift occurring just below the DGZ, the lake effect will
get off to a slow start through the first half of the night before
organizing after midnight.

Off Lk Erie, a fairly well aligned 240-250 flow (minimal shear in
lake convective layer) becomes established later tonight. Inversion
heights top out 6-8kft and models have been very consistent with
this. The strong winds and marginal instability initially will not
promote a strong lake response through late this evening. Overnight,
boundary layer flow diminishes some, and instability will continue
to grow, allowing for a band to become better established. The lake
effect snow may develop just south of Buffalo initially before
moving northward late tonight. Given the slow start this evening,
lowered snowfall amounts tonight to the 2-4 inch range with most of
that falling after midnight.

The plume of snow should generally remain locked in place through
Thursday centered on the Buffalo Metro area, although it could
oscillate a bit north and south from time to time. The inversion
will lower to around 6kft as has been shown for many days in
guidance as axis of upper trough shifts east of Lake Erie. Daytime
accumulations within the heart of the band are forecast to average 4-
7". Latest guidance suggests inversion heights will rise to around
10K feet Thursday evening as a trough approaches and brings deeper
moisture into play. This may allow the band to intensify again for a
few hours Thursday evening over Buffalo with additional
accumulations likely.
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13 minutes ago, SouthBuffaloSteve said:

well they beat the living hell out of the fact about the inversion heights being low.  maybe a fist half dud but a second half stud?

H85 temps will plummet to roughly -15C through the night. This will
establish sufficient over-water instability over the 37-40F (+3 to
+4c) lakes and set the stage for accumulating snows in both the
Buffalo and Watertown metro areas. Due to stronger winds tonight and
strongest lift occurring just below the DGZ, the lake effect will
get off to a slow start through the first half of the night before
organizing after midnight.

Off Lk Erie, a fairly well aligned 240-250 flow (minimal shear in
lake convective layer) becomes established later tonight. Inversion
heights top out 6-8kft and models have been very consistent with
this. The strong winds and marginal instability initially will not
promote a strong lake response through late this evening. Overnight,
boundary layer flow diminishes some, and instability will continue
to grow, allowing for a band to become better established. The lake
effect snow may develop just south of Buffalo initially before
moving northward late tonight. Given the slow start this evening,
lowered snowfall amounts tonight to the 2-4 inch range with most of
that falling after midnight.

The plume of snow should generally remain locked in place through
Thursday centered on the Buffalo Metro area, although it could
oscillate a bit north and south from time to time. The inversion
will lower to around 6kft as has been shown for many days in
guidance as axis of upper trough shifts east of Lake Erie. Daytime
accumulations within the heart of the band are forecast to average 4-
7". Latest guidance suggests inversion heights will rise to around
10K feet Thursday evening as a trough approaches and brings deeper
moisture into play. This may allow the band to intensify again for a
few hours Thursday evening over Buffalo with additional
accumulations likely.

Yeah high winds and strong LES bands don't really work.

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36 minutes ago, Blue Moon said:

No way! I thought Syracuse and Buffalo would have higher totals. I figured Rochester was shafted by being in that snow hole that usually requires synoptic systems.

No. Rochester gets plenty of lake snow. Rochester averages more snow than buffalo. 100 inches. Buffalo is 95 i think

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Haha it’s 4 am the band looks like total garbage and I got half a dusting. Good thing they closed schools for this today lmao. Never fails, as Ayuud said, every time we have a good set up the winds are too strong. I could tell last night that it was WAY too windy outside to get a good band of snow going (on top of the already limiting factor of low cap height of course lol). 

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32 minutes ago, BuffaloWeather said:

That stuff near Clarence is 3”+ per 

I can confirm. Took me 30 minutes to get to the plant which normally takes 14 or so…Lancaster has about 5” still snowing heavily but I think the heaviest returns are just north. Was pouring snow when I left my house at 610. Wife says we have almost 3” since I left. 

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