North American Weather (U.S.A & Canada)

[knocker]

Live Blog: Historic Ice-Pocalypse Set to Slam Deep South With Ice & Snow

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2014/02/11/_historic_snow_and_ice_storm_set_to_slam_the_deep_south.html

[knocker]

"Believe it or not, the forecast for the Deep South’s impending icy apocalypse just got worse." My latest thoughts

 

Today’s the Day Atlanta Could Lose a Quarter of Its Trees

 Eric Holthaus

 

As the first pellets of sleet began pattering against windows in Georgia, new data were gathered overnight during a rare wintertime mission by Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft. Much as is typically done in a landfalling major hurricane, these data were fed into early morning weather computer models, in an impromptu experiment to increase forecast accuracy just hours before the storm struck.

 

The results aren’t pretty. Anticipated ice totals have been bumped up significantly from yesterday’s already dire forecast. Here’s what the forecast looks like now in Georgia, where the biggest impacts are anticipated:

 

http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/02/12/winter_storm_pax_deep_south_facing_crippling_category_5_ice_storm.html

[knocker]

A historic Southeast U.S. winter storm is pounding Georgia and South Carolina with heavy snow and thick coatings of freezing rain. Car crashes on icy roads from the storm have already killed six people--four in Texas, and two in Mississippi--and travel will be extremely dangerous over much of the South on Wednesday. As of 9 am EST on Wednesday, freezing rain amounts as high as 1/2" had already been observed in Central South Carolina near Columbia. Freezing rain rates as high as 0.1" per hour are expected along a swath from Atlanta, Georgia to the northeast coast of South Carolina. Over 1" of ice may accumulate from freezing rain in areas near Augusta, Georgia. Strong winds will combine with the freezing rain to blow down trees and power lines, and the Sperry-Piltz Ice Accumulation Index rates the potential impacts from areas which receive at least 3/4" of ice accompanied by winds in excess of 15 mph at a 4 on a scale of 1 to 5. At this level, expect "prolonged and widespread utility interruptions with extensive damage to main distribution feeder lines and some high voltage transmission lines/structures. Outages lasting 5 - 10 days." As of 9:45 am EST, 78,000 customers in Georgia had lost power, and power outages were increasing at a rate of 30,000 customers per hour. About 30,000 customers had lost power in South Carolina.

 

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2630

[knocker]

A new NASA video of NOAA's GOES satellite imagery shows three days of movement of the massive winter storm that stretches from the southern U.S. to the northeast.

 

Visible and infrared imagery from NOAA's GOES-East or GOES-13 satellite from Feb. 10 at 1815 UTC/1:15 p.m. EST to Feb. 12 to 1845 UTC/1:45 p.m. EST were compiled into a video made by NASA/NOAA's GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

 

In the video, viewers can see the development and movement of the clouds associated with the progression of the frontal system and related low pressure areas that make up the massive storm. The video also shows the snow covered ground over the Great Lakes region and Ohio Valley that stretches to northern New England. The clouds and fallen snow data from NOAA's GOES-East satellite were overlaid on a true-color image of land and ocean created by data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua and Terra satellites.

 

 

http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/satellite-video-shows-movement-of-major-us-winter-storm/#.UvvvLs6cSpA

[keithlucky]

Snow problems in Alabama lol http://t.co/rtbnEeWH3E

[knocker]

Live Winter Storm Blog: Traffic Chaos May Turn Raleigh and Charlotte Into This Storm’s Atlanta

http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/02/12/pax_winter_storm_brings_ice_snow_chaos_to_the_south.html

[knocker]

Snow begins to pile up in South Jersey, North Jersey faces brunt during commute

 

South Jersey is already blanketed in snow, as the front edge of today’s nor’easter swirls into the region. The northern part of the state should expect the brunt just in time for the morning commute, forecasters said.

 

Falling at rates of as much as 3 inches an hour, the snow has already piled up: 7 inches in Vineland, 6.5 inches in Bridgeton, more than 4 inches each in Egg Harbor City and Pennsville, in Salem County, according to the National Weather Service. A storm chaser in Gloucester County reported 8.8 inches this morning. Only Atlantic City and the southeast coast of the Garden State saw rain before dawn, forecasters reported.

 

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2014/02/snow_begins_to_pile_up_in_south_jersey_north_jersey_faces_brunt_during_commute.html#incart_m-rpt-1

[knocker]

The Worst of the Winter Weather Is Over. Here's What's Left to Come.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/02/12/pax_winter_storm_brings_ice_snow_chaos_to_the_south.html

[knocker]

The memorable winter of 2014 continues over the Eastern U.S., where an intensifying Winter Storm Pax has dumped up to a foot and a half of snow. Snowfall rates of 3" per hour have been observed in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and New York this morning. A band of super-heavy snow set up over northern New Jersey, with some reports of 3 - 4" of snow falling in just 30 minutes. As of 9 am EST, over a foot of snow (12.3") was observed at the Baltimore Airport, 7" at New York City's Central Park, and 11" in Washington D.C. at American University. The 8.8" of snow so far today in Philadelphia makes the winter of 2013 - 2014 the 5th snowiest on record there, and the first time since record keeping began in 1884 that Philadelphia has had four separate six inch or greater snowstorms in a winter. From the 10 am EST Thursday NWS storm report, here are the top snowfall totals from Pax:

 

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2631

[cheeky_monkey]

The memorable winter of 2014 continues over the Eastern U.S., where an intensifying Winter Storm Pax has dumped up to a foot and a half of snow. Snowfall rates of 3" per hour have been observed in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and New York this morning. A band of super-heavy snow set up over northern New Jersey, with some reports of 3 - 4" of snow falling in just 30 minutes. As of 9 am EST, over a foot of snow (12.3") was observed at the Baltimore Airport, 7" at New York City's Central Park, and 11" in Washington D.C. at American University. The 8.8" of snow so far today in Philadelphia makes the winter of 2013 - 2014 the 5th snowiest on record there, and the first time since record keeping began in 1884 that Philadelphia has had four separate six inch or greater snowstorms in a winter. From the 10 am EST Thursday NWS storm report, here are the top snowfall totals from Pax:

 

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2631

Yep certainly been cold and snowy in the eastern half of North America in contrast the western half has been mild dry and relatively snow free.

[BornFromTheVoid]

Quite a divide in the US. I'd imagine Canada looks quite similar?

 

 

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/temp-and-precip/maps.php?submitted=true&year=2014&month=1&imgs[]=Nationaltrank&imgs[]=Nationalprank&imgs[]=Regionaltrank&imgs[]=Regionalprank&imgs[]=Statewidetrank&imgs[]=Statewideprank&imgs[]=Divisionaltrank&imgs[]=Divisionalprank&ts=1#maps

[Styx]

^ I like the ranking system. BOM should do the same for it's Australian charts. They tend to ignore the historical rankings if they fall outside of the top 10 or thereabouts.

 

Edit: ^ Actually I have just remembered that they do.

It's late.

Edited February 14, 2014 by Styx

[knocker]

With today's snowfall, it is now the snowiest Jan-Feb on record at Central Park. 48.5" beats 47.2" in 95-96.

 

https://twitter.com/NWSNewYorkNY/status/435859915056623616 

[Coopsy]

I'm actually missing the snow...barely a snowfall to talk about since November and no snow falling here in about 6 weeks. Crazy weather and super dry. Should be good for spring and the worry of floods

[cheeky_monkey]

I'm actually missing the snow...barely a snowfall to talk about since November and no snow falling here in about 6 weeks. Crazy weather and super dry. Should be good for spring and the worry of floods

Really?..December was very snowy here...January had a couple of reasonable falls...i have more snow on the ground and piled up around my drive etc than i have since 2010-11 even after the exceptional mild spell we had during January..mind you it has been dry for the last 4 weeks now.

[knocker]

A major February thaw is underway across the Midwest U.S., where high temperatures are above freezing for a second consecutive day in cities like Chicago, Minneapolis, and Detroit. The welcome thaw is bringing significant melting of the heavy snowpack over the Midwest, raising flooding concerns. Much of Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Indiana are covered by snows of 10 - 30" that if melted, would be equivalent to 2 - 6" of rain. With temperatures in the 40s and low 50s coming on Thursday, accompanied by up to 1" of rain, flash flooding is expected in many regions of the Midwest. Soils are still frozen, which will limit the infiltration of the rain into the ground, providing faster run-off and greater flooding potential. Also of concern are ice jams on rivers, caused when the ice on top of rising rivers breaks up and jams together, creating blockages that back up river waters. NOAA's Storm Prediction Center has placed much of the Midwest under their "Slight Risk" area for severe weather on Thursday, and severe thunderstorms with strong winds, hail, and few tornadoes will make it seem like spring. However, it will be winter on Thursday over Northern Iowa and Southern Minnesota, where blizzard warnings are posted.

 

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2634

[knocker]

Some more on this.

 

http://blog.weathernationtv.com/2014/02/19/examining-thursdays-severe-threat/

[Coopsy]

Really?..December was very snowy here...January had a couple of reasonable falls...i have more snow on the ground and piled up around my drive etc than i have since 2010-11 even after the exceptional mild spell we had during January..mind you it has been dry for the last 4 weeks now.

Yup all the storms you got in Calgary in December we completely missed. Most snow in one go here - prob about 2-3 inches max other than the early one in November which was about 8-10 inches.

 

Since then pretty much nothing and grass showing all around the house, even in the shady parts no more than a few inches. The difference an hours drive can make.

 

That said we actually had 20 mins of snow last night that has left about 1cm dusting.

 

Edited February 19, 2014 by canadiancoops

[keithlucky]

Great Lakes freeze produce stunning picture

[Roger J Smith]

Great Lakes and Midwest regions getting ready for a brief thaw with heavy rainfalls, given the large snowpacks, widespread urban ponding will probably develop by late Thursday. Temperatures will reach 8-12 C with 20-30 mm rainfalls. Larger rivers won't have time to flood but some smaller creeks might overflow due to ice jams.

 

Snowfall this winter has been twice normal or even three times normal in the U.S. portion of the Great Lakes region and parts of the Midwest, and mainly due to low pressure systems rather than lake effect snow (although that has been heavy in some places too).

[knocker]

“Texas Hooker†to Bring Midwest Blizzard, Tornadoes at the Same Time

http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/02/19/texas_hooker_storm_to_bring_midwest_blizzard_tornadoes_at_the_same_time.html

[ANYWEATHER]

I'm actually missing the snow...barely a snowfall to talk about since November and no snow falling here in about 6 weeks. Crazy weather and super dry. Should be good for spring and the worry of floods

Well your lucky, Ive not seen snow since April 1st last year in Mid Wales.... Can March hold out any hope for anything wintry?  Potentially yes!

Edited February 20, 2014 by ANYWEATHER

[knocker]

Available for a Limited Time Only

391 205 5

Exploring Wisconsin’s rare Lake Superior ice caves.

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2014/02/lake_superior_ice_caves_are_accessible_for_only_a_short_time.html

[knocker]

NWS confirms a record high temperature of 77ºF in Charlotte, NC today... days after its longest snowstorm on record.

 

http://kamala.cod.edu/offs/KGSP/1402202129.sxus72.html

Edited February 20, 2014 by knocker

[Styx]

^ It's only a date record...these of course have a chance of occuring 28/30/31times per month. Releasing these records appears to be a uniquely North American type of thing.

 

The February record for Charlotte is 83F.