Jump to content
  • Member Statistics

    17,614
    Total Members
    7,904
    Most Online
    Vesuvius
    Newest Member
    Vesuvius
    Joined

The Psuhoffman Storm


Ji

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 6.9k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

If any mets want to explain why models didn't forecast the cold well during the ice storm and if that idea is applicable to this setup, i'm listening.

Not a met, but having closely observed cold air damming here in central VA for about 15 yearsI have concluded that the models always underplay the "Wedge" the first opportunity or so during the winter, Actually during the ice storm last week, the models did have a pretty decent damming signature in the period 4-5 days ahead but took it away as we got closer. There was a high that could force it. Just didnt show the isobars "bending"

In this setup, the High is too far east to be of any consequence. However..... and this is just my opinion. I have also seen decent cold infiltration down the east side of the mountains if the Northeast has some cold air built up in that region. The circulation around the approaching low helps pull it down. I've seen that before.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is also multiple runs that show little to no consistency. The 0z and 12z were wetter and up the coast, the 6z and 18z were suppressed and OTS. Which one are you putting faith in? Now, the EURO has struggled some this year, but at least with this one its shown at least some run to run consistency which no other has been able to muster.

I do like your point about the consistency in the Euro. Very valid. But I still can't ignore multiple runs of an OTS solution, of course added to such because the latest runs have been OTS.

Obviously there is still time for the H5 track to change but it is that lack confidence I've accumulated from the Euro thus far by it's thwarting nature. As every run gets closer to the event, presumably the runs become more accurate (less chaos. I know there are rebukes to this generalization but I'm speaking in terms of a model being as progressive as the GFS has been so far with this storm), and since the GFS has been more accurate this year, ATM I'm not liking the odds, especially considering seasonal trends. I truly hope you're right and the consistency turns out to be the winner here. If that's the case, and the same biases are applied as we've seen all year with the Euro (too warm, track a little too inland), then we've got a jackpot don't we?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

this looks like the general breakdown of the 18z gfs ensemble members

SE -- 5

MAYBE (BACKEND) -- 5

GOOD -- 1 95 / 1 nw

REALLY WARM -- 0

http://www.meteo.psu...SNE_18z/f60.gif

http://www.meteo.psu...SNE_18z/f66.gif

http://www.meteo.psu...SNE_18z/f72.gif

http://www.meteo.psu...SNE_18z/f78.gif

http://www.meteo.psu...SNE_18z/f84.gif

gotta' like those odds!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

this looks like the general breakdown of the 18z gfs ensemble members

SE -- 5

MAYBE (BACKEND) -- 5

GOOD -- 1 I95 / 1 nw

REALLY WARM -- 0

http://www.meteo.psu...SNE_18z/f60.gif

http://www.meteo.psu...SNE_18z/f66.gif

http://www.meteo.psu...SNE_18z/f72.gif

http://www.meteo.psu...SNE_18z/f78.gif

http://www.meteo.psu...SNE_18z/f84.gif

I wonder if the remaining ten members break down along similar lines (I would guess so given the mean, but I haven't looked at the spaghetti plots yet).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I guess everyone is now expecting OTS?

Honestly, with no scientific basis at all involved, I'm expecting all the models within the next 48 hours to come into agreement on a complete whiff for the DC area, then, about 24 hours or so before the onset of the whiff, I'm expecting one or two models to throw the metro area enough of a bone that I get suckered back in, only to wallow in self-pity after the models all shift back south and east at the last minute.

Oh, and then of course, New England gets hammered after our whiff. Is that cynical enough? :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess it's just another way to be screwed this winter, but how fitting would it be to be sub freezing for about 90 hours straight- which doesn't happen here to often, only to have a driving rainstorm 36 hours later.

This is very similar to how the first half of Jan 99 went during la nina.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At what timeframe did the models finally converge on the miss for the Dec 26th storm?

All I remember is waking up Christmas morning, looking at the 6z runs, watching a little light snow falling outside my window, thinking, life doesn't get much better. Then by the time the 12z runs were completed, I had a slightly different philosophy about life.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All I remember is waking up Christmas morning, looking at the 6z runs, watching a little light snow falling outside my window, thinking, life doesn't get much better. Then by the time the 12z runs were completed, I had a slightly different philosophy about life.

Weren't the SREF's the only super good things by 6z? And even they were starting to slowly pull the rug out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A history of GFS total precip output for BWI:

01/23/2011 18Z 0.0

01/23/2011 12Z 0.25

01/23/2011 06Z 0.0

01/23/2011 00Z 0.5

01/22/2011 18Z 0.0

01/22/2011 12Z 0.08

01/22/2011 06Z 0.71

01/22/2011 00Z 0.50

01/21/2011 18Z 0.73

01/21/2011 12Z 1.23

01/21/2011 06Z 1.79

01/21/2011 00Z 2.50

"Trend" is pretty terrible

Link to comment
Share on other sites

as pessimistic as I have been, I don't understand the doom and gloom after the 18Z runs

maybe there have been significant snow storms that were proged by both the NAM and the GFS from 72+ hrs out and held, but I don't remember any

what I do know, however, is that every significant storm was proged beforehand to go out to sea vs. to our west, and this storm fits that bill

sooooo, as much as we would all love to look at pretty maps for 3 days+ with shades of dark green and blue over our houses while the thick blue line is to the east/south, it doesn't happen like that and likely never will

this is an interesting system that has already had its fair share of curve balls, but if you want a significant snow event around here this year we're gonna have to fight the model wars for it, and it ain't gonna be pretty

so either prepare to do battle in front of your computer screen until we can get a handle on this storm or get up now and walk away from your computer because we've got 2+ more days of this

and yeah, you've got time to run into the bathroom and put on a fresh pair of Pull-ups before the 0Z model run, so get along and do it now girls and boys

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...