February 1-5, 2011 Arctic Blast/Winter Storm Discussion

[redneckweather]

I'm at my office off of Rayford/Sawdust along the feeder road of 45 northbound. I will be here until 3 and will report if I see any of that funny looking white stuff fall from the sky.

[srainhoutx]

Feb 1960 and Jan 1973 started as overnight events, Ed.

[tireman4]

Snow is like Santa Claus and hurricanes around here, it only comes late at night?

Now I can't remember if it was the 2008 or 2009 snow miracle, but although mostly after dark, I was awake. I think it was 2009. I was coming home from an Advent penance service at my church. Grassy surfaces were turning white. My sins are generally quite boring, but I keep committing the same ones over and over.[/quote]


Gee Ed. Snow confessional? LOL

[djjordan]

Snow is like Santa Claus and hurricanes around here, it only comes late at night?

Now I can't remember if it was the 2008 or 2009 snow miracle, but although mostly after dark, I was awake. I think it was 2009. I was coming home from an Advent penance service at my church. Grassy surfaces were turning white. My sins are generally quite boring, but I keep committing the same ones over and over.

Gee Ed. Snow confessional? LOL[/quote]

Does that mean everytime it snows in Houston we all know Ed has just been to a confession?? LOL

[hlewis]

I am snow excited!!!!!

[ronyan]

32.4 F
Hopefully evaporative cooling will help us out as the dewpoint is around 20.

[Paul]

just because the NWS is saying 6-12z doesnt mean we wont see something in the earlier period....give it some time....

[Andrew]

Sw of Houston the storms seem to be getting stronger. It is possible that it is no longer virga for some places.

[cristina99]

I'm at my office off of Rayford/Sawdust along the feeder road of 45 northbound. I will be here until 3 and will report if I see any of that funny looking white stuff fall from the sky.

Same here - I'm on Grogan's Mill in The Woodlands. Will give a report if I see any white stuff

[lyndie32]

Calhoun County ISD (port lavaca, seadrift,port oconnor) just announced they will dismiss at 1230 today, and no school tomorrow. http://www.calcoisd.org


Now, onto a quick question. What is your fav radar when watching winter weather unfold? I normally use the wundermap on wunderground, but is that my best bet when watching meso snow bands?

http://www.beaumontweather.com/ has alot of good radars on it... I also like http://setxhomepage.com/weather/weather ... ctiveradar .... just sayin... bring on the snow!!!!

[noname_77065]

Calhoun County ISD (port lavaca, seadrift,port oconnor) just announced they will dismiss at 1230 today, and no school tomorrow. http://www.calcoisd.org


Now, onto a quick question. What is your fav radar when watching winter weather unfold? I normally use the wundermap on wunderground, but is that my best bet when watching meso snow bands?

http://www.beaumontweather.com/ has alot of good radars on it... I also like http://setxhomepage.com/weather/weather ... ctiveradar .... just sayin... bring on the snow!!!!

I like wunderground, but the NWS radar composite loop is also good IMO.

http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/southpla ... e_loop.php

[djjordan]

Sw of Houston the storms seem to be getting stronger. It is possible that it is no longer virga for some places.

I saw that too Andrew .... moistening of the atmosphere is looking good and right on track.

[updraft]

Just taking a look at the NWS radar for HGX and I've got a question about radar images on reflectivity - composite versus base.

I'm guessing the composite takes more data into consideration (versus actual soundings?) and extrapolates the image - but what's the general difference between the two ... and ... comparing the two current images (composite versus base), you can clearly see banding to the SW between H35 and H59 on the composite and when viewing radar from base, those bands disappear. Is the difference somehow related to precip actually reaching the ground?

As always, everyones explanations are greatly appreciated !

[djjordan]

Just got a report from a friend in Del Rio that they are seeing very light snow attm.

[Txdreamer62]

It's official Cy-Fair Schools will be closed Tomorrow Feb 4. Schools will be open to the end of the day today however. unless weather warrants early dismissal

[tireman4]

It's official Cy-Fair Schools will be closed Tomorrow Feb 4. Schools will be open to the end of the day today however. unless weather warrants early dismissal

I would bet every school and college will be closed tomorrow. Today...who knows...I can see an early dismissal....

[C2G]

I would bet every school and college will be closed tomorrow. Today...who knows...I can see an early dismissal....

I don't. Believe the main event will come long after the kiddos are home today.
Heck, the suns almost wanting to break through the clouds over Friendswood.
They better do some serious thickening.

[tireman4]

Is it me, or has the NWS-HGX updated their warning map:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/hgx/

[djjordan]

Is it me, or has the NWS-HGX updated their warning map:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/hgx/

They just updated it but it doesn't show any significant change to their thinking. This event is on schedule at this time.

[srainhoutx]

Looks like we have some freezing precip in Deep S TX now...

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
934 AM CST THU FEB 3 2011

.UPDATE...STARTING TO GET A FEW REPORTS OF VERY LIGHT PRECIP
FREEZING TO VEHICLES AND EXPOSED METAL SURFACES. TEMP AT KBRO HAS
DROPPED 2 DEGREES IN THE PAST HOUR...WITH /UP/ BEING REPORTED AT
KBRO AND KHRL IN THE PAST HOUR. TEMPS WILL HOVER AT OR JUST BELOW
FREEZING WITH -ZR/-IP CONTINUING. AS MOISTURE JUST OFF THE SFC
CONTINUES TO SLOWLY MOVE INLAND...PRECIP WILL BEGIN FOR AREAS WEST
OF US 77. MAIN CONCERN IS THE WARM POCKET ALOFT...HOW FAR INLAND
THE WARM POCKET MOVES...AND HOW THICK IS THE SUBFREEZING SFC
LAYER. MODELS STILL INDICATE THE ROUGH TRANSITION LINE WILL BE THE
KENEDY/BROOKS BORDER SOUTH TO AROUND WESLACO. AREAS WEST OF THERE
WILL SEE MAINLY SNOW...-IP EAST OF THAT LINE TO US 77...AND -ZR
EAST OF US 77 TO THE COAST. CONDITIONS WILL CHANGE LITTLE
OVERNIGHT AS TEMPERATURES CHANGE VERY LITTLE IN THE UPPER 20S.
BEST DYNAMICS ALOFT MOVE IN OVERNIGHT...GIVING INCREASED PRECIP
INTENSITY. TOTAL ACCUMULATION OF UNDER 1/2 INCH EXPECTED...WITH
ICE ACCUMULATION UNDER 1/4 INCH. AREAS IN BROOKS AND NORTHERN
HIDALGO COUNTIES MAY SEE ENOUGH SNOW FOR A TOTAL OF AN INCH
ACCUMULATION. AS THE SYSTEM DEPARTS TOMORROW MORNING...PRECIP WILL
END MID MORNING. TEMPS MAY RISE JUST ENOUGH ABOVE FREEZING TO
BRIEFLY TURN PRECIP BACK TO RAIN BEFORE ENDING IN THE LOWER
VALLEY. NOTE THAT THE WEATHER SENSOR ON THE KSPL AWOS IS
MALFUNCTIONING AND IS NOT REFLECTIVE OF CURRENT WEATHER PATTERNS.