Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Mid-day update and contest
Steve Scolnik @ 2:30 PM
2:30pm
That was certainly exciting while it lasted. At the peak, many places saw the most intense snowfall of the season. At 1pm, skies were cloudy in most locations in the DC metro area. In southeastern VA, Norfolk reported heavy snow. It was snowing lightly in Salisbury, MD, and Ocean City had mixed precipitation. By 2pm, a few places in the immediate area were partly sunny; Norfolk was down to light snow; it was moderate in Salisbury and light at Ocean City. Here in Montgomery County, the sun is breaking through the overcast and there are a few patches of blue on the horizon. The ruler shows that Momma Nature's Weather Grill home delivery left 1" of snow on the picnic table.
This was definitely one of the most dramatic FROPA's (frontal passages) that this region experiences. We were too busy following developments to organize anything formal, but here's an informal contest:
Find the reporting station in this region with the largest temperature drop from some time yesterday to the same time today. This can be an official NWS reporting station or some other objective source, such as a 4-WINDS Neighborhood Storm Station. The station must be located in the states of Maryland, Delaware, or Virginia, or the District of Columbia. Show a link to the relevant report in a comment to this blog post and include the location name and amount of the temperature change. We can't promise a prize, but the winner will at least get an Honorable Mention in tomorrow's report.
12:30pm
At noon, snow was ending in western Montgomery and Fairfax counties. The heaviest precipitation showing on radar was from east of Fredericksburg to northeast of Richmond in Virginia. In the DC metro area, snow had tapered off to light where it was still being reported. Hanover VA reported heavy snow and Richmond was moderate. Charlottesville was cloudy. Snow will be ending in the DC area from west to east in the next hour or 2. Temperatures will continue to drop into tonight. At 10am this morning, the areas in Quebec and Ontario where this air mass originated had temperatures below 0, so we shouldn't have much trouble getting to a low of 20. The wind will continue strong and gusty, so secure your lawn furniture, trash cans, and small pets.
11:30am
At 11am, radar showed an area of precipitation extending eastward from a line just east of I-81 in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The rain/snow line had progressed eastward to extreme northern Delaware, northern and central Chesapeake Bay, and near Richmond. Metro area reporting stations were still observing moderate to heavy snow and temperatures had dropped to freezing or below. Montgomery County traffic cameras (such as Colesville Rd. and the Beltway) are showing wet roadways. Here in west-central Montgomery County, the snow intensity has decreased significantly in the past hour, and the sky is lighter. Grassy areas and elevated surfaces are snow-covered, but even my shady sidewalk is mainly wet. The semi-official picnic table has about 1/2" of accumulation. Streets are wet. The temperature is down to 27. The wind is strong enough to have coated the back and side windows of cars in carports.
Keep us posted in the comments on conditions in your area.
10:30am
There is a snow advisory in effect in the DC area until 4pm for 1-2" of wet snow, mainly accumulating on grassy areas. At 10am, metro area reporting stations had moderate to heavy snow with visibilities as low as 3/16 mile. Winds were strong from the NW, gusting as high as 39 mph.
That was certainly exciting while it lasted. At the peak, many places saw the most intense snowfall of the season. At 1pm, skies were cloudy in most locations in the DC metro area. In southeastern VA, Norfolk reported heavy snow. It was snowing lightly in Salisbury, MD, and Ocean City had mixed precipitation. By 2pm, a few places in the immediate area were partly sunny; Norfolk was down to light snow; it was moderate in Salisbury and light at Ocean City. Here in Montgomery County, the sun is breaking through the overcast and there are a few patches of blue on the horizon. The ruler shows that Momma Nature's Weather Grill home delivery left 1" of snow on the picnic table.
This was definitely one of the most dramatic FROPA's (frontal passages) that this region experiences. We were too busy following developments to organize anything formal, but here's an informal contest:
Find the reporting station in this region with the largest temperature drop from some time yesterday to the same time today. This can be an official NWS reporting station or some other objective source, such as a 4-WINDS Neighborhood Storm Station. The station must be located in the states of Maryland, Delaware, or Virginia, or the District of Columbia. Show a link to the relevant report in a comment to this blog post and include the location name and amount of the temperature change. We can't promise a prize, but the winner will at least get an Honorable Mention in tomorrow's report.
12:30pm
At noon, snow was ending in western Montgomery and Fairfax counties. The heaviest precipitation showing on radar was from east of Fredericksburg to northeast of Richmond in Virginia. In the DC metro area, snow had tapered off to light where it was still being reported. Hanover VA reported heavy snow and Richmond was moderate. Charlottesville was cloudy. Snow will be ending in the DC area from west to east in the next hour or 2. Temperatures will continue to drop into tonight. At 10am this morning, the areas in Quebec and Ontario where this air mass originated had temperatures below 0, so we shouldn't have much trouble getting to a low of 20. The wind will continue strong and gusty, so secure your lawn furniture, trash cans, and small pets.
11:30am
At 11am, radar showed an area of precipitation extending eastward from a line just east of I-81 in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The rain/snow line had progressed eastward to extreme northern Delaware, northern and central Chesapeake Bay, and near Richmond. Metro area reporting stations were still observing moderate to heavy snow and temperatures had dropped to freezing or below. Montgomery County traffic cameras (such as Colesville Rd. and the Beltway) are showing wet roadways. Here in west-central Montgomery County, the snow intensity has decreased significantly in the past hour, and the sky is lighter. Grassy areas and elevated surfaces are snow-covered, but even my shady sidewalk is mainly wet. The semi-official picnic table has about 1/2" of accumulation. Streets are wet. The temperature is down to 27. The wind is strong enough to have coated the back and side windows of cars in carports.
Keep us posted in the comments on conditions in your area.
10:30am
There is a snow advisory in effect in the DC area until 4pm for 1-2" of wet snow, mainly accumulating on grassy areas. At 10am, metro area reporting stations had moderate to heavy snow with visibilities as low as 3/16 mile. Winds were strong from the NW, gusting as high as 39 mph.
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