Observations for the Christmas Storm II

[NC_hailstorm]

30.4

Wind is getting up higher now,huge chunks of snow are flying out of the trees and bushes.

[NCStateMMY]

I lost power for 3 hours this morning. It is getting breezie and I hear limbs popping so power may go again. But it is pretty.

Our power just came back here. The wind has increased here as well. Seeing it blow across the field in our backyard. I am thinking we may not be done. That light snow crescent from Wake through tidewater VA is going to lift this direction. Not expetcting much in accum though.

[ams30721us]

It is really just back to pouring snow again here just like yesterday! Big flakes also! So pretty with all the snow already on the ground!

[Moose4]

RAH radar seems to be showing a clump of precip west of Raleigh strengthening a bit and moving ESE, at the west end of that band south of the Triangle...maybe it's not quite over yet for parts of Wake County?

Still 31 in Durham, nothing's melting off the trees but the streets have self-cleared. Of course, if it really does drop to the forecast 22 tonight, it's going to be a skating rink out there. Glad I don't have to go to work tomorrow!

[nchighcountrywx]

here it wasn't plowing, but actual scraping. Sparks flying and asphalt chunking up out of the road. I've seen my road done this way during 2 snows now (plowing black top) The roads are in terrible shape because of this here.

Must get paid by the minute that the plow is engaged :-)

Powerstroke could show them how to actually plow snow.

[Buddy]

Valve has opened back up again here, if just slightly. Moderate snow has resumed.

[WeatherNC]

Amazing, watching this band in the eastern half of NC, even though returns are weak, this is a solid blob of -SN, with very good ratios and additional accumulations. I would be surprised if western Pitt comes out of this event with less than 12" given we still have several hours left (3-4 hrs). 20z RUC shows H7 RH shutting off in the coastal plain around 8pm, so another 1-2" would not be out of the question. Big hit here! As I believed was the case in the last 24 hrs leading up to this, models under did QPF and sn amounts in eastern NC. Last night when I was watching radar down in GA, I new it was the case.

[LKN WX]

Ended up with 3.75" for the storm and a white Christmas to boot-fantastic!

I also want to thank Foothills, Eyewall, Raleigh, Hickory and everyone else who

spent all their time tracking this crazy system-it was very much apprecieated!

[Stormsfury]

It has been snowing here since basically 11:30 am (changeover to all snow) and been snowing since, even at times, some insane rates comparable or even higher to Feb 12th. HOWEVER, can't get to stick . I've managed a dusting today with the heaviest burst that came down for a little over half an hour about 1:30 to 2 pm today.

EDIT: just picked right up again moderate snow and still just won't stick around

DOUBLE EDIT: it's finally sticking

[Jon]

Radar trends look to me like snow can sneak back into Raleigh for a little bit....haven't looked at the RUC or anything. I'd like to see just a tad bit, even if it's flurries...I haven't seen snow at RDU for a few hours, and I already miss it...

[superjames1992]

Just woke up from an extended nap (LOL). I ended with 7". I'm surprised how quickly the roads are melting off as they're really not in bad shape now (though they were covered this morning). I'll snap some pictures in a few minutes before dark.

[TriadDeac]

Hampstead, NC

Afternoon flurries has turned into light to moderate snow again

32.5 degrees

[GaWx]

It has been snowing here since basically 11:30 am (changeover to all snow) and been snowing since, even at times, some insane rates comparable or even higher to Feb 12th. HOWEVER, can't get to stick . I've managed a dusting today with the heaviest burst that came down for a little over half an hour about 1:30 to 2 pm today.

EDIT: just picked right up again moderate snow and still just won't stick around

Mike,

I'm eyeing that batch of returns moving SE toward Savannah very closely and wondering if it might produce anything that could possibly stick here because they look like the most impressive of the day in this area, since it will be getting dark shortly/it's getting colder, and since this batch originated from the area that gave Lookout heavy snow earlier today. Opinion?

Edit: I was supposed to go somewhere this evening, but am now wondering if we may end up in a dicey situation on the roads considering the dropping temp.'s.

Edit #2: I'm also keeping in mind the 12Z Euro's impressive 0.15" of qpf for here between now and 7 PM fwiw.

[downeastnc]

Might be snowing harder now than it has at any other time dare I hope for another quick inch. Where the roads were clear has instantly whited over again the last 30mins. I guess we have had 10-12" fall most places I measured have been 8-10" but this stuff is compacted so I am sure more has fallen.

[ncjoaquin]

My road is the absolute worse that it has been in 20 years of living here. There is about a 1/2 mile long hill to go down. I have gone up and down it forever. It's been slick and challenging, but nothing like this. I started down it and had absolutely no control. It slid into a storm drain. It took 5 of my neighbors, but they pushed it out where I was perpendicular to the road and then it started sliding and started sliding around until I was sliding backward. I gunned it and whipped it around and slid the rest of the way of the forward. Pure luck that it chose to spin around forward, but it was my first reaction.

I'll be honest. I've driven in the snow for years, but that actually unnerved me a bit. The rest of the roads were snow packed ice, but at least they were flat. I parked at the bottom of the hill when I came back, and I had to walk back up, but it beats facing that icy monster again in the morning.

[SnoJoe]

Some of the heaviest flow snow I've ever seen here. If it's flow snow. Ratios are still low and wind is not a problem It's snowed at a rate on almost an inch per hour for the last 5 hour. I'm now up to 13 inches. If the "real" NWFS is not suppose to get cranking until this evening there will be areas up here that will get 2 feet easily, me included.

Any other obs from you mountain peeps????

[Stormsfury]

Mike,

I'm eyeing that batch of returns moving SE toward Savannah very closely and wondering if it might produce anything that could possibly stick here because they look like the most impressive of the day in this area, since it will be getting dark shortly/it's getting colder, and since this batch originated from the area that gave Lookout heavy snow earlier today. Opinion?

Edit: I was supposed to go somewhere this evening, but am now wondering if we may end up in a dicey situation on the roads considering the dropping temp.'s.

Edit #2: I'm also keeping in mind the 12Z Euro's impressive 0.15" of qpf for here between now and 7 PM fwiw.

I just got in from work and now the light snow is starting to stick around a little bit and is accumulating slowly. KCHS pulled the WSW down and replaced it with an advisory. It does appear that the snow will continue for the next several hours, sometimes even heavy bursting with some bright bands noted on radar by the site.

[Jon]

Snow a few miles from RDU...roads seem to be getting worse by the minute.

[Cold Rain]

RAH radar seems to be showing a clump of precip west of Raleigh strengthening a bit and moving ESE, at the west end of that band south of the Triangle...maybe it's not quite over yet for parts of Wake County?

Still 31 in Durham, nothing's melting off the trees but the streets have self-cleared. Of course, if it really does drop to the forecast 22 tonight, it's going to be a skating rink out there. Glad I don't have to go to work tomorrow!

Finally snowing again here in SE Wake. I've been watching that band build slowly north and now it's finally over me.

[ncjoaquin]

Some of the heaviest flow snow I've ever seen here. If it's flow snow. Ratios are still low and wind is not a problem It's snowed at a rate on almost an inch per hour for the last 5 hour. I'm now up to 13 inches. If the "real" NWFS is not suppose to get cranking until this evening there will be areas up here that will get 2 feet easily, me included.

Any other obs from you mountain peeps????

I've picked up another inch, but it took all day. so, nothing like you. But, I am at 10 brutally slick inches. Oh. and I lost power for 3 hours.

[ncjoaquin]

AVL Airport at 9.5 for the event. YTD snowfall of 13.3 there more than this time last year. (they were on the low end of the big December storm last year, but still...) I am 14.5 MTD.

SNOWFALL (IN)

TODAY 3.0 R 1.3 1917 0.1 2.9 0.0

MONTH TO DATE 13.3 1.3 12.0 10.1

SINCE DEC 1 13.3 1.3 12.0 10.1

SINCE JUL 1 13.3 1.7 11.6 10.1

SNOW DEPTH 9

[FoothillsNC]

I've picked up another inch, but it took all day. so, nothing like you. But, I am at 10 brutally slick inches. Oh. and I lost power for 3 hours.

I just had time to look at the radar, but thats about it. Looks like a wave is coming perpendicular to the chain, the whole breadth of it, so you and Joe are about to be pummelled. This should easily get into the city of Asheville I think. If the radar already looks this bad it must really, really be bad at Joes place. Be careful driving tomorrow.

[NavarreDon]

Some of the heaviest flow snow I've ever seen here. If it's flow snow. Ratios are still low and wind is not a problem It's snowed at a rate on almost an inch per hour for the last 5 hour. I'm now up to 13 inches. If the "real" NWFS is not suppose to get cranking until this evening there will be areas up here that will get 2 feet easily, me included.

Any other obs from you mountain peeps????

10.5 in Weaverville....I am really hoping for another 1.5 to make the big foot. You are gonna get buried ah scratch that even more buried tonight.

[CandymanColumbusGA]

Here in Columbus, GA we had about an inch of snow last night, and has been flurrying all day long! There are still a few cars that have snow on them, but it was AMAZING to see a White Christmas for the first time ever!

[eyewall]

Snowing here again now and has been pretty much all day (lightly). Picked up another .2 for 6.2 total. (less depth wise now though).We are essentially on our 14th hour of snow falling!

[Solak]

Still getting light to at times moderate flurries/-sn. Some of the snow had melted enough to slide off one of the cars, and now as we're approaching dusk, it's starting to coat the car surface again with a light dusting. Radar looks good for another couple hours worth... need 9 tenths to cross the magic 12" mark.

[ncjoaquin]

I just had time to look at the radar, but thats about it. Looks like a wave is coming perpendicular to the chain, the whole breadth of it, so you and Joe are about to be pummelled. This should easily get into the city of Asheville I think. If the radar already looks this bad it must really, really be bad at Joes place. Be careful driving tomorrow.

Sweet. I can't believe after that experience that I want it to snow more, but I do!!!! I'm like Don. I want to get to 12 inches if I can.

[NEGa]

Here in Columbus, GA we had about an inch of snow last night, and has been flurrying all day long! There are still a few cars that have snow on them, but it was AMAZING to see a White Christmas for the first time ever!

awesome! your first winter/snow forecast...and it was on christmas, in georgia lol

[SnoJoe]

I just had time to look at the radar, but thats about it. Looks like a wave is coming perpendicular to the chain, the whole breadth of it, so you and Joe are about to be pummelled. This should easily get into the city of Asheville I think. If the radar already looks this bad it must really, really be bad at Joes place. Be careful driving tomorrow.

Robert, is this typical flow snow yet? It doesn't seem like it. Low ratios and heavy, heavy rates. Something's weird about this stuff falling now. Medium to small flakes but as thick as fog.

[Buddy]

I just had time to look at the radar, but thats about it. Looks like a wave is coming perpendicular to the chain, the whole breadth of it, so you and Joe are about to be pummelled. This should easily get into the city of Asheville I think. If the radar already looks this bad it must really, really be bad at Joes place. Be careful driving tomorrow.

Upslope is doing well enough that I'm getting moderate snow from time to time at my location. From what I can tell its not even really started yet, too.