February Medium/Long Range Thread

[Heisy]

18z AI looks pretty different from 12z but doesn't get anybody around here any snow. 

Is the 28th event a miss or just rain?


.

[psuhoffman]

@Ji and the crazy part is we rarely get snow and most of it melts right away even in the middle of winter because we’re not Vermont. But every year I hear March snow sucks because “it’s hard to get snow and it melts”. As if that’s unique to March. 

[Bob Chill]

4 minutes ago, psuhoffman said:

Our snow climo sucks enough without kicking 20% of it because you can’t handle that it melts 

Exactly. I'll enjoy any and all. March snow is like last hour at the bar after a long night. Things are winding down and thinning out and right when you're ready to call it a night, someone starts buying rounds of shots for everyone and a super hot girl starts talking to you. This is why you never go home early 

[Paleocene]

Just now, psuhoffman said:

@Ji and the crazy part is we rarely get snow and most of it melts right away even in the middle of winter because we’re not Vermont. But every year I hear March snow sucks because “it’s hard to get snow and it melts”. As if that’s unique to March. 

the 3 weeks of snowcover i had in january beg to differ

[psuhoffman]

5 minutes ago, Heisy said:

Is the 28th event a miss or just rain?


.

Plot twist: BOTH. 
the M.C. Escher run 

[psuhoffman]

Just now, Paleocene said:

the 3 weeks of snowcover i had in january beg to differ

Ya and how normal is that?  It was the longest run of snowcover since 2010 for most locations. 80% of our snow is like last week, melts or washed away within 48 hours by a 50 degree sunny day or rain. 

[Paleocene]

Just now, psuhoffman said:

Ya and how normal is that?  It was the longest run of snowcover since 2010 for most locations. 80% of our snow is like last week, melts or washed away within 48 hours by a 50 degree sunny day or rain. 

not normal, but the odds of that not normal event happening in january are effectively infinitely higher than that happening in march.  which is why some of us don't like march snow. it's not an unreasonable opinion lol

[psuhoffman]

6 minutes ago, Paleocene said:

the 3 weeks of snowcover i had in january beg to differ

And once in a blue moon we can get snowcover to stick around a week or so in March also. 2014 was an example for some places. Yes it’s more rare but people act like we’re Vermont and we have a foot of cold smoke that lasts weeks in January and March is mud season. Our whole winter frankly sucks for snow 90% of the time and we need to take snow whenever and however we can. 

[clskinsfan]

9 minutes ago, psuhoffman said:

@Ji and the crazy part is we rarely get snow and most of it melts right away even in the middle of winter because we’re not Vermont. But every year I hear March snow sucks because “it’s hard to get snow and it melts”. As if that’s unique to March. 

I normally love March snow. But I am kind of exhausted of the southern fringe this year. Just ready for it to be over. 

[clueless]

Done with winter. But January was something else. 

[psuhoffman]

3 minutes ago, Paleocene said:

not normal, but the odds of that not normal event happening in january are effectively infinitely higher than that happening in march.  which is why some of us don't like march snow. it's not an unreasonable opinion lol

3 weeks yes. Getting snow to stick around 3 or 4 days it’s not a crazy difference. But my point is almost all our snow is marginal sloppy storms that melt pretty fast after. That’s like 80% of our snow climo. So kicking March snow out of bed because it’s just like most of our January and Feb snow seems weird. Are we gonna kick all the sloppy 3-6” storms we get in mid winter that melt right away too?  Funny I didn’t hear a lot of people doing that last week when they got a 6” snow that was going to wash away the next day!   And if we did we would average like 3” a year if we only found snowstorms that are cold smoke and last a week after. That happens almost never even mid winter. I dunno seems like some people are chasing a mirage or have this unrealistic image of what Jab Feb snow is like here. 

[Paleocene]

5 minutes ago, psuhoffman said:

And once in a blue moon we can get snowcover to stick around a week or so in March also. 2014 was an example for some places. Yes it’s more rare but people act like we’re Vermont and we have a foot of cold smoke that lasts weeks in January and March is mud season. Our whole winter frankly sucks for snow 90% of the time and we need to take snow whenever and however we can. 

I don't disagree on your "sucks 90% of the time" point.  And yes I remember the 2014 snows, and the ubermelt of the 2016 storm when we torched after. But after 90 days of cold and gray, March snow just hits different. I feel like I might feel differently if I lived somewhere semi-rural like you; around the UHI getting March snow to stick has an extra difficulty factor.  I would never say I don't want it to snow in March, it's always nice when it snows (even in April)! But my snow pleasure index is higher in DJF than MA.

[NorthArlington101]

I can’t imagine ever turning down snow as a snow enthusiast. I don’t care if it snows in May

[psuhoffman]

5 minutes ago, clskinsfan said:

I normally love March snow. But I am kind of exhausted of the southern fringe this year. Just ready for it to be over. 

Now that I get 

[psuhoffman]

But ya know what, it’s a free country still, I think… so ya can feel however you want. Me, I’m enjoying every flake I can get. I don’t care what time of year.  Is all snow and it’s going to melt no matter when it falls. 

[blizzardmeiser]

1 minute ago, psuhoffman said:

But ya know what, it’s a free country still, I think… so ya can feel however you want. Me, I’m enjoying every flake I can get. I don’t care what time of year.  Is all snow and it’s going to melt no matter when it falls. 

I’m good with March snow but there is nothing worse than a cold April. Nothing good comes of it.  Bring on the warmer temps. 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

19 minutes ago, psuhoffman said:

And once in a blue moon we can get snowcover to stick around a week or so in March also. 2014 was an example for some places. Yes it’s more rare but people act like we’re Vermont and we have a foot of cold smoke that lasts weeks in January and March is mud season. Our whole winter frankly sucks for snow 90% of the time and we need to take snow whenever and however we can. 

I agree.  And to be honest, I really don't care for this "March snow sucks because it melts too fast" attitude.  Who the F**k cares?  If we get a MECS or better storm, I'll be following that and enjoying it all through.  Don't care if it's in early March or early January.  Yeah, you're not going to get mid-January temperatures in March after a snow.  But I recall several times that we had very good March snows that actually did stick around for a few days after a storm with cold temperatures that didn't disappear in a day.  2014 is a perfect example as you mention.  Same with 2015.  There are other examples.  I even liked the small event in 2022, even though I knew it was going to warm up in another day.  But on THAT day, it got quite cold and wintry.

You're right.  Even in mid-winter, we don't necessarily hang on to snow for weeks on end in these parts.  Yeah, I saw that in northeast Ohio (where I'm from and grew up) of course, but that's a lot different and a much different climate.  This January was unusual compared to many recent years in that we had consistent cold through the month, so the snow we got on Jan. 6 and around Jan. 20 stuck around for as long as it did.  And yeah, some of the big snows we've gotten hung around for awhile simply because it was a LOT of snow and took awhile before it got melted or washed away.

So long and the short of it...if we have a shot at one (or more!)  solid or better events at the end of this month or the first half of March, I say BRING IT ON!

[IronTy]

3 minutes ago, psuhoffman said:

But ya know what, it’s a free country still, I think… so ya can feel however you want. Me, I’m enjoying every flake I can get. I don’t care what time of year.  Is all snow and it’s going to melt no matter when it falls. 

Or maybe by about this time of year when winter generally sucks for snow in a normal season and March even more so...some people are just sick of the cold and looking forward to spring and gardening, longer days, and being able to do stuff outside again.  I get the same way in September, I'm ready for fall and winter because I'm tired of sweating just walking to get the mail, doesn't mean I hate summer.  And SAD is a real thing too.  We don't have to turn everything into a climo denial conspiracy.  

[87storms]

I’ve got one more storm left in me. I feel jipped so far…but agree that cold April’s are dumb.

[konksw]

Unless it’s a 1993 or something March snow, especially late March snow, feels like when you have your Christmas tree up for too long after the holidays. You still mostly like it but you can tell it’s not quite right anymore. As a runner I’m definitely ready for it to warm up a bit. 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

2 minutes ago, 87storms said:

I’ve got one more storm left in me. I feel jipped so far…but agree that cold April’s are dumb.

On a related note, I'll admit, cold weather softball SUCKS big time!  I played on a softball league for many years.  The season started in April and it was almost a guarantee that the first game or so would be 40s and drizzle.  Hitting a ball with an aluminum bat HURTS in cold weather!  No fun!  Then again...I didn't care for the upper 90s or 100+ degree days when we had double-headers either, in late July a couple of times!!

[87storms]

1 minute ago, Scarlet Pimpernel said:

On a related note, I'll admit, cold weather softball SUCKS big time!  I played on a softball league for many years.  The season started in April and it was almost a guarantee that the first game or so would be 40s and drizzle.  Hitting a ball with an aluminum bat HURTS in cold weather!  No fun!  Then again...I didn't care for the upper 90s or 100+ degree days when we had double-headers either, in late July a couple of times!!

Had a couple of those in the coed softball league I played in for a few years. What I miss most is mountain biking. The last few winters I’d be able get some trail riding in, but this was definitely a cold leaning winter…which is fine because we were due.

[IronTy]

4 minutes ago, Scarlet Pimpernel said:

On a related note, I'll admit, cold weather softball SUCKS big time!  I played on a softball league for many years.  The season started in April and it was almost a guarantee that the first game or so would be 40s and drizzle.  Hitting a ball with an aluminum bat HURTS in cold weather!  No fun!  Then again...I didn't care for the upper 90s or 100+ degree days when we had double-headers either, in late July a couple of times!!

Spent the first 25yrs of my life living in Michigan...I can't tell you how many seasons of track and field we had to run in the snow in those stupid tiny shorts and tank tops, even in April.  Sprinters HATE to run in cold weather.  I don't miss those early meets.  

[psuhoffman]

9 minutes ago, IronTy said:

Or maybe by about this time of year when winter generally sucks for snow in a normal season and March even more so...some people are just sick of the cold and looking forward to spring and gardening, longer days, and being able to do stuff outside again.  I get the same way in September, I'm ready for fall and winter because I'm tired of sweating just walking to get the mail, doesn't mean I hate summer.  And SAD is a real thing too.  We don't have to turn everything into a climo denial conspiracy.  

Yes but that comes typically in later March and April. Early March is usually pretty chilly and often has some snow. Kinda like December. We can get 60 degree days in Dec also but it’s not normal. Or it wasn’t until recently lol. 
 

But every year some act like it’s weird or some horrible abomination they can’t abide if it’s not 70 the first week of March. The April thing i get. 

[EastCoast NPZ]

1 hour ago, frd said:

This is funny.  

You'd think I have a secondary residence in central South Dakota.

[IronTy]

Just now, psuhoffman said:

Yes but that comes typically in later March and April. Early March is usually pretty chilly and often has some snow. Kinda like December. We can get 60 degree days in Dec also but it’s not normal. Or it wasn’t until recently lol. 
 

But every year some act like it’s weird or some horrible abomination they can’t abide if it’s not 70 the first week of March. The April thing i get. 

I think you're missing the forest for the trees.  Just because it's *usually* chilly doesn't mean I have to like it.  Early September is *usually* still hot but that doesn't mean I'm not sick of the humidity then either.  Cold in March would be more tolerable if I had a foot of snow to look forward to but 99.5 days out of a hundred it actually just means cold, bare, frozen ground.  

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

Just now, IronTy said:

Spent the first 25yrs of my life living in Michigan...I can't tell you how many seasons of track and field we had to run in the snow in those stupid tiny shorts and tank tops, even in April.  Sprinters HATE to run in cold weather.  I don't miss those early meets.  

Haha, I ran track in high school myself, in northeast Ohio!  And yeah, our practices would start in late March and early April (ugh!).  There was at least one time that there was still some crusty ice and snow on the track at that time during a practice.  I typically ran the 100m, 200m and 400m (4 by 100) relay.  For the relay during a track meet, when I was the leadoff runner, I kept the baton warm under my sweatshirt as long as I could before having to take sweats off right before the event!  Nothing like having a cold aluminum baton slap against your hand as you passed it off (I was either 1st or 2nd leg in those relays).

[87storms]

8 minutes ago, EastCoast NPZ said:

You'd think I have a secondary residence in central South Dakota.

It’s great…we get a desert climate here while only being a few hrs to the beach.

[Ji]

February has been abysmal since 2015. To want to punt early March which has been snowier makes no sense

[Scraff]

Hug every beautiful fluffy snowflake like it’s your last. That’s always been my motto. I would take a snow storm in fucking July! Who cares!? Though, we will need to torch 2 days later so I can get back to my pinky sipping Reunite on ice under a palm tree.  Ok. Double IPA. So my point though, I’m here for the snow! Severe season is fine. Eh. Lightning is fun for like a millisecond. Hurricanes meh (unless it’s coming straight up the bay). I don’t give a rats ass when it snows though. Any day of the week in any time of the year. Just lay down a fresh carpet of fluffy white for me. I need my zen Jebwalk moments. Means a lot to me…