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Jan 15-16 Winter Storm


Brick Tamland
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GSP's long term discussion from this morning.

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.LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
As of 300 am EST Tuesday: Friday will provide a brief lull between
systems as a shallow ridge sets up between a departing shortwave
trough and the next major system amplifying over the northern
Plains. We are trying to keep our excitement in check for the
weekend system given the spread evident in the operational models
and ensembles. Uncertainty remains high, but there are trends toward
greater confidence in at least some wintry weather affecting much of
our region over the weekend.

The setup will include a zonally-oriented 850 mb baroclinic zone
atop our region just north of the old frontal zone Friday night.
This could well provide a focus for moist upglide redeveloping
quickly across the area Friday night into Saturday. Subfreezing 850
mb temps would permit wintry ptypes at onset in most areas, with
mainly snow in the northern tier and possibly a light wintry mix
farther south as profiles wet bulb down. Meanwhile, the deepening
upstream system will dive southeast through the central CONUS the
first half of the weekend and amplify west of the Appalachians. Run-
to-run and model-to-model consistency issues abound, with the
operational GFS now much deeper with an H5 low tracking across the
Deep South Saturday night. The ECMWF and Canadian camps depict more
of a positively-tilted open wave crossing the forecast area. The
common factors include fairly cold profiles already in place and
decent potential for moisture return ahead of the amplifying system.
The main difference is that the ECMWF/CMC solutions would be a
quicker hit/shorter duration, which would limit wintry accumulations
a bit more.

The GFS, on the other hand, exhibits a far more dynamic southern
closed low position, bringing the heart of its moisture and forcing
over the cold air in place Saturday night through Sunday. In fact,
the 850 mb low center track on the GFS is perfect for record setting
snowfalls across our region. This solution has the surface low
tracking through southern AL/GA along the frontal zone Saturday
night and deepening over the SC coastal waters on Sunday. In
addition, frontogenesis would be robust atop our area in this case,
and a lobe of negative EPV crossing the region would even suggest
some potential for thundersnow. However, it`s important to note the
recent consistency issues with the GFS runs, and the fact that the
GEFS plumes have plenty of spread. Still, the prudent course is to
to start featuring the system in the HWO given the potential for
accumulating snowfall.

The upper system will depart late Sunday, but with lingering
northwest flow snowfall quite possible along the spine of the
southern Appalachians. Additional height falls may occur back to the
west over the Ohio River Valley on Monday. This early week system
appears a bit more moisture starved, and it seems the better
dynamics will pass north of our forecast area. However, additional
scattered snow showers will be possible in the mountains following
the wave passage late Monday given the northwest flow upslope
moisture in the residual cold air.

 

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2 minutes ago, Ghicks said:

where is frosty at. He needs to chime in here.  I don't live very far from him. We need a good snow here also. but guess we will wait and see. 

If GFS is right then basically anyone in this very crudely drawn nightmare of a circle I've made will get a good snow. The coastal areas would also likely benefit as it pulls away.

61dd4d9a19b64.png

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Just now, Ghicks said:

im located in nw nc mount airy. probably near where the 2 is located on your map near the va line 

Again if the GFS is correct you'll do fine. Bullseye if this was taken verbatim would be probably RDU to GSO. But statewide with this solution you'd be looking at 6 inches I'd have to guess with many along and east of I-85 getting 8+. Take QPF with a grain of salt..yada yada yada

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