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Winter 2018-2019

WesL

"Bill, I'm talkin' imminent rueage"
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And somebody please get on here and explain these frostquakes. Some videos with sound would be nice!
Well here is my non-scientist understanding of what happens with a frostquake. It really runs on the same principle of how potholes form in the winter months. Basically, the ground soaks up water and more than likely is rapidly cooled to sub-freezing levels. The liquid water turns to ice and expands. In some cases when it expands it applies increasing pressure to the frozen Earth above. This pressure builds when the ice-laden ground shifts or breaks it causes a loud boom. Anyone that lives in the area around Huntsville can tell you that boom is easily amplified by clouds.



edit- added video with good example
 

Jacob

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I said in the severe thread something about Tahoe, but I think it belongs more in this thread since it is winter related. I'm supposed to fly into Reno tomorrow and drive to my rental tomorrow night. Looks like I'm going to need a little luck.

From the NWS Reno AFD
It is recommended that those with plans over the Sierra
should complete their travel prior to this evening since snow is
expected to continue largely uninterrupted from tonight through at
least Tuesday morning. Around 10 feet of new snow is expected to
fall in the high Sierra above 7000 feet with 2 to 6 feet down to
Lake Tahoe level. Mammoth Lakes could exceed 5 feet in town. If
you do plan to travel in this storm, plan to be able to be stuck
for a long time since it will be very difficult for first
responders to reach your location.

There does look like there should be a big gap in the snow tomorrow evening and overnight, which is when I'm hoping I'll be able to get in. If not, looks like I'll be in Reno until at least Tuesday.
 

warneagle

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took a couple of pictures of DC in the snow today (we got about an inch)

51221246_10213541395185608_1653538636316016640_n.jpg

51615161_10213541395465615_6749810533257445376_n.jpg
 

Jacob

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I said in the severe thread something about Tahoe, but I think it belongs more in this thread since it is winter related. I'm supposed to fly into Reno tomorrow and drive to my rental tomorrow night. Looks like I'm going to need a little luck.

From the NWS Reno AFD


There does look like there should be a big gap in the snow tomorrow evening and overnight, which is when I'm hoping I'll be able to get in. If not, looks like I'll be in Reno until at least Tuesday.

And now a week later and on my way back home...I’ve never seen so much snow in my life.

After flight delays and late night grocery shopping, we finally got to our rental place about 1230AM PST early this past Sunday. Had about 10” of wet snow on the ground by morning, a break during Sunday morning, then about 2-3 feet of light dry snow that ended on Tuesday midday.

Had another 3” yesterday morning, and they are looking at feet of snow again today through Monday in Tahoe. Great pattern for the ski resorts out there
 

Weatherphreak

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GFS definitely showing a good band sitting on North Alabama for a lot of Tuesday. Euro and FV3 GFS keeping the snow north. I’ll get more serious about this Thursday if it’s still showing up.
 

bjdeming

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A rare snow hit Seattle this morning with 8 to 10 inches of snow.

Didn't know anyone was interested in PNW weather here. :) Here in Corvallis (central Willamette Valley, Oregon) we haven't gotten anything so remarkable yet (unless you count the light snow on tufts of freshly-mown grass in our back yard last week), but I saw this in today's Portland forecast discussion and thought people here might be interested (I've only been out here since 2014 and am still adjusting to the green-and-white winters down here in the valley as Alaska and its Gulf--NOT to be confused with the Gulf of Mexico!--throw system after system at us this time of year):

There is overlap of the Flood Watch and the Winter Weather Watch in
the north Willamette Valley, the Oregon coast range, and the Lower
Columbia River. This is unusual, but completely warranted for this
event. Some areas will get heavy rain where as others will have heavy
snow, and it will all depends on the snow levels. Dynamic cooling of
the atmosphere will lower the snow levels with the heavy
precipitation, but warm air advection at the lower levels will
counter some of that cooling. It is hard to say with certainty which
will be stronger, the cooling or the warming. This is a very complex
system, with the potential for weather to cause major travel
challenges and possibly minor property damage. Meteorologists refer to
this as a low probability - high impact event. The weather, our
forecasts, and warnings will change rapidly as this evolves, so
please check for weather updates in your area frequently. ~TJ/SW/AB
 

Kory

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We’ve got plenty of time for this to back peddle. Just like the models have done with any sort of significant event this season (severe or winter).
 

Jacob

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Didn't know anyone was interested in PNW weather here. :) Here in Corvallis (central Willamette Valley, Oregon) we haven't gotten anything so remarkable yet (unless you count the light snow on tufts of freshly-mown grass in our back yard last week), but I saw this in today's Portland forecast discussion and thought people here might be interested (I've only been out here since 2014 and am still adjusting to the green-and-white winters down here in the valley as Alaska and its Gulf--NOT to be confused with the Gulf of Mexico!--throw system after system at us this time of year):

I find those PNW systems quite interesting myself. I’ve followed the weather in the western US in winter ever since I picked up snow skiing 5 years ago. It’s interesting to watch how much the snow levels, ratios, etc. change from system to system. These last few have been impressively cold for that region, hence the snow in places like Seattle, and high ratio dry snows in the mountains,

I actually considered Bend, OR for a ski trip a couple years back, but ended up going to Tahoe that trip instead.
 

Weatherphreak

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It’s pretty wild to see theses monster snow totals in California for the past 2 years after record drought the 2 years before that. It’ll be interesting to see if it keeps flipping so dramatically or levels out some.
 

Kory

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Euro/GFS and other guidance is a bit more realistic with the early week system next Monday. Established cold airmass with overrunning precip that erodes due to strong WAA. Begins as wintry precip for northern half of MS/AL/and NW GA, but quickly changes to rain. This looks like the kind of pattern for that with strong SW flow in the upper levels and cold air surge this weekend. Usually, the warm air advection wins out quicker in our part of the country faster...
 
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