Tag Archives: Maine

Highly Uncertain Snow Event Tomorrow Night

January 11, 2016 Jack Sillin 1 Comment

Hello everyone!

My apologies on this post for an uncertain snow event going out so late and being so short, cramming in something that usually takes 4+ hours into 2 is hard. With that aside, I’ll do my very best to look at the forecast for tomorrow night in some detail below.

Overview

12Z GEM Showing The Setup Tuesday Evening. Image Credit: Weatherbell

A clipper system is currently moving across Minnesota and will continue to dive SE tonight into tomorrow morning. It will end up over the Eastern Great Lakes by tomorrow afternoon. At this time, a new low will form near NYC/Long Island and move NE as it strengthens. The key to this forecast and why it is so uncertain is how fast this low intensifies. I want to stress that the difference between a widespread 3-6″ and a widespread 8-12″ event is a few hours. If the storm forms a bit earlier, there is more snow. If it is a bit late, there is less snow. Either way, a burst of heavy snow is likely tomorrow evening around or a little after the evening commute. Overall, impacts should be minor but after 7 or 8 tomorrow evening, roads are likely to become quite slick.

The Earlier Development Scenario

12Z GEM Showing Intense Upward Motion Leading To Very Heavy Snow Over Western Maine Tomorrow Night. Notice The Position Of The Red (Very Heavy Snow) Over Western Areas. Credit: Accuweather

This is the GEM model showing the earlier development scenario. At 11PM tomorrow night, an intense band of very heavy snow is located over Western Maine centered on a Portland-Lewiston line. In this scenario, intense snow bands develop earlier and farther to the west leading to higher totals across SW areas. Based on very warm SST’s offshore and the very high amount of energy blasting SE with the clipper, I think this is the more likely scenario. The 500mb trough will also be going sharply negative.

12Z GEM Showing The 500mb Factors In Favor Of Explosive Storm Development. Image Credit: Accuweather

A very negative trough with a ton of energy blasting over record warm ocean temps is a setup ripe for explosive storm development. The 12Z GEM shows this well. The other models show a similar setup and the GEM has shown itself to be very reliable when dealing with clippers and Canadian airmasses. It was the one model that caught the surprise no-show of the February 15 blizzard and I think it is on to something in terms of surprises with this storm.

This is what snow totals would look like if the low developed on the early side. Consider this my forecast.

The Late Development Scenario

12Z GFS Showing Snow Bands Firing Up More Along The Midcoast Than The ME-NH Border. Credit: Accuweather

It is also entirely possible things don’t pull together in time and the heavy snow bands really get going more over the eastern Midcoast than the NH-ME line. The GFS shows this well. This is the same parameter (upward motion) for the same time as the GEM map posted above. Compare them and look at how much farther NE the heavy snow bands (bright colors) are on the GFS compared to the GEM. This is the difference between 3″ and 8″ for most areas SW of Augusta. Where these snow bands set up is the entire forecast at this point. It is important to note that the GFS shows nearly the same 500mb setup. The trough on the GFS is the exact same as on the GEM with the only difference being the GFS is 30 or so miles farther NE. That is the difference between 3″ and 8″. I really want to stress how tiny the differences are in terms of the science. 30 miles is a tiny margin of error, it just so happens that this time that margin of error has tremendous impacts for a large swath of the area. Be prepared for either scenario despite the forecast being for more snow.

This is what snow totals would likely look like given the late development scenario playing out. This is not what I expect to happen but it remains a viable solution. In fact, new clues have emerged since the making of this map that indicate that totals could be slightly less than this if the low really fails to get going. Don’t be shocked if you wake up Wednesday to only a few inches SW of Augusta. Several inches look like a safe bet for the Midcoast and the NE mountains.

Coastal Mixing Concerns

12Z GEM Showing Near Freezing Temps At The Coast. Credit: Weatherbell

Winds ahead of the clipper will be onshore and thus temps will be marginal at the coast. However, winds will turn N/NE as the coastal low develops which will act to shut off the source of warm air. Also, heavy precip acts to cool the air and precip will certainly be heavy tomorrow night. All added up, I think this will be a wet snow for most coastal areas with only the peninsulas seeing rain. Again, this part of the forecast depends on the coastal low. The faster the low develops the faster cold air rushes in.

This is a VERY uncertain forecast so I’ll try to have an in-depth update tomorrow morning with details. I’ll have another update tomorrow evening as the storm is beginning. At this point, the details will be more clear (helpful, I know!).

-Jack

Heavy Rain And High Winds Arrive Tomorrow

January 9, 2016 Jack Sillin Leave a comment

Hello everyone!

We’re heading into a period of active weather this week and our first storm is up tomorrow. This one is tracking to our west and thus we’re on the warm side. This will be an all rain event with temps soaring into the 40’s. Winds will also be extremely strong gusting near 60mph at the coast.

Overview

Low Pressure is developing over Arkansas right now and will move NNE tonight through tomorrow while strengthening. This storm will drive a cold front through the region tomorrow night. Ahead of the front, look for heavy rain, strong winds, and warm temps. Conditions behind the front look cold and windy as arctic air moves in. Now that we’ve set the stage, lets dig into the details.

Rain

Rain will move in tomorrow morning and will become heavy by early afternoon. In terms of amounts, a general 1-2.5″ is expected with the highest amounts falling in areas where heavy rain is enhanced by upsloping SE winds. Any SE facing slopes are at risk for the 2-2.5″ totals. With the snowpack being marginal at best, widespread flooding isn’t likely but some rivers and streams could run high enough to cause minor issues in any usual trouble spots. A flood watch is out for much of the area due to this threat.

Wind

I think the biggest story will be the winds. The map at right is the winds just above the surface, NOT winds at the surface. The numbers on the map are knots so the winds between 2,500 and 5,000 feet are hurricane force. NOT all these winds will mix down to the surface by any means. That being said, winds will be very gusty as heavy rain helps to transport winds aloft down to the surface. Winds along the coast especially NE of Portland are likely to gust over 55mph. This could cause a few isolated power outages so watch for those if you usually see darkness during storms like this. All in all, not a massive windstorm but some branches are likely to come down and could cause a few issues. Also be sure to secure anything that might blow around outside (sleds, shovels, etc).

Other Impacts

There could be some thunder in the heaviest precip. Nothing crazy but that’s not something we usually hear here in Maine in January especially with rain (thundersnow happens sometimes with strong Nor’easters but rarely to we break enough into the warm sector for thunder).

On the back side of the storm, cold air will be rushing into the region on strong NW winds. Look for subfreezing air to blast into the area Monday and any leftover puddles will freeze. As a result, look for slick roads Monday and Monday night.

SE winds will be strong tomorrow but won’t last for a long time. As a result, coastal flooding impacts should be minimal. Some splashover/erosion is likely and the usual trouble spots could see some issues but no major impacts are likely.

Cold air moves in Monday and lasts through the week with snow threats midweek and next weekend. Those are still far out so details will have to wait to be figured out.

I’ll have another update tomorrow morning. I’ll also have updates through the day over on the Facebook page.

-Jack

A Messy Winter Storm Today

December 29, 2015 Jack Sillin Leave a comment

12:15 PM Update

Most of the heavy snow and sleet is off to our NE now as the mid levels dry out. Despite a lack of heavy precip, snow and sleet will still remain across the area this evening with another inch or so of snow and a coating of sleet and possibly a glaze of freezing rain as well. This continued light precip will cause roads to remain slick through the next few hours so continue to use caution if travelling.

Seeing as the storm is winding down, this will be my last update today. I’ll be back tomorrow morning with a look at tomorrow’s weather.

-Jack

10:30 AM Update

Heavy snow and sleet is ongoing across the region currently although the worst of the worst is now mainly NE of Portland. I expect moderate to heavy snow and sleet to continue for the next few hours with the worst gradually sliding NE. This afternoon, look for the second phase of the storm which is already beginning across southern areas which includes lighter mixed precip.

In Yarmouth, what I’ve been seeing generally seems to match up with other reports I’m seeing on mPING and on Twitter from folks across southern areas. Snow has been heavy here and is mixing with sleet. The sleet is piling up though, I’ve gotten about an inch of sleet on top of 4.5″ of snow as of 10:30. Keep in mind everything is still quite slick out there so use caution if traveling!

-Jack

7:45 AM Update

Snow continues across the region this morning. Here in Yarmouth, there was a period of sleet around 7 but the precip has since turned back to all snow as heavier precip moved in. As of 7:45, the precip remains all snow with very efficient accumulation. Due to cold temps around the area (10’s for most, 20’s coastal York county), the snow is dry and fluffy. I suggest shoveling/snowblowing now before the sleet turns the snow into frozen cement. Snow and sleet will continue with sleet moving north east through the morning. It seems that a middle of the road solution is playing out across areas north of York County with snow during times of heavy precip and sleet when precip is lighter. This will continue through the morning.

There are reports of many accidents across the are this morning and roads are very slick especially if your area is seeing sleet. Use extra caution on the roads today if you must travel. Also, remember to use your mPING app today! There has already been tons of great data flowing in and it’s really helping with the forecast!

-Jack

Original 6:15 AM Update

Hello everyone!

Today will feature a messy winter storm as low pressure moves through the Great Lakes. Warm air will be rising up and over a well-defined cold pool at the surface. This is the lifting that will produce moderate to heavy precip today. I’ve been digging into the depths of the forecast the past few evenings and now it’s time to bring it all together.

Morning Snow

HRRR Model IDEA On How Precip Unfolds This Morning. Keep In Mind This Appears To Be On The Cooler Side Of The Solutions. Credit: Weatherbell

Snow is falling across northern parts of New England this morning. Sleet has mixed in as far north as Manchester, NH as well indicating a warm layer already developing aloft. There are two possible solutions with this morning’s snowfall. Our first option is that the sleet line progresses as it has in the past hour unimpeded in its relentless march NE. This would result in sleet arriving during the heaviest of the precip, several hours earlier than last night’s forecast. Should this occur, look for totals lower or just under the lower end of the range from last night’s map (re-posted below). The other idea (this is the one you see above with the HRRR) is that the precip is so heavy that it dynamically cools the atmosphere. This has to do with the displacement of mass and is a topic for another day but the point is that if this occurs, the mid levels of the atmosphere could cool enough to allow for a little more precip to fall as snow thus resulting in totals more towards the middle or even upper end of the total ranges. Be prepared for either of these solutions. Remember even though it accumulates more slowly, sleet is icier and more slippery than snow. It is harder to drive in. Take it slow out there this morning.

Lingering Precip This Afternoon

After the initial burst of snow comes through this morning, precip will shift to a lighter more spotty type. This will fall any number of ways depending on your location. A mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain is likely across the south with snow and sleet farther north and all snow up in the mountains. The freezing rain expected across the south will continue to cause very slick roads. Slick travel is expected everywhere today but in terms of a complete lack of traction, nothing beats .1-.3″ of ice on top of an inch or two of sleet on top of 4-6″ of snow.

Help Forecasters Track The Storm!

Given the plethora of precip types incoming with this storm, tomorrow would be a great time to give the mPING app a workout! Over the past few days you’ve seen how hard it is to forecast multiple precip types. Here’s a chance for you to help forecasters out! Simply download the free app and take a look outside! Send in your report of snow, sleet, freezing rain, or rain and you can help forecasters like me with forecasting multiple precip type events! The data is sent to the National Severe Storms Laboratory to help with radar development which gives models better data which improves forecasts. Read all about it over on the NSSL webpage. Also through that website, you can view your report and everyone else’s reports to track the rain/snow/sleet line in real-time! This is one of my most valuable tools for tracking the mix line to verify the forecast/make adjustments if needed. Happy reporting!

Totals

I keep my map the same this morning as I think each solution (warm or cold) is equally likely. There are interesting radar trends that indicate the colder solution is playing out though you can’t go against hurricane force winds 10,000 feet up blasting in warm air.

Live Blog

We’ll know more as the morning goes on and I’ll keep updating this post as I see changes happening. Keep checking back right here through the morning and I’ll have new info at the top of the page as it comes in. I will also be on twitter with updates all morning @JackSillin.

Here is the link to last night’s post as the information there more or less remains the same.

-Jack

Another Messy Storm On The Way Tuesday

December 27, 2015 Jack Sillin Leave a comment

Hello everyone!

A cold front is currently moving east through the region and will push offshore this evening. Behind it, a sprawling high pressure system will build in straight from Western Canada bringing with it our first real shot of cold air. On Tuesday, warm air from the tropics blasted up the coast by the storm currently causing trouble in Texas will smash into the cold air and a good burst of snow will result. Here’s how I think it will play out and why.

The Cold Air: Tomorrow

12Z GFS Model Idea Of High Temps Tomorrow Showing Very Cold Air In Place. Credit: Weatherbell

Highs will remain below freezing tomorrow for everyone except maybe far southern York County. Highs near the international border will struggle to get out of the single digits. That doesn’t include the NW breeze which will definitely be felt. This is our source of cold air for Tuesday. Prepare for January like temps and wind chills which compared to this torch of a December will feel quite chilly!

The Moisture: Monday Night

12Z GFS Model Showing Moisture From The Gulf Of Mexico Plowing Northward Monday Night. Image Credit: Weatherbell

At the same time, the storm that is bringing a slew of problems to Texas will be moving North through the Ohio valley. This will set up a feed of warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico right up the coast to Maine. This will cause some concerns as the moist air also comes with warmth which will cause concerns for mixing towards the end.

The Collision: Tuesday

The cold air comes tomorrow and the moisture arrives on Tuesday. The collision is what will cause the snow. At the moment this looks like a front end thump of snow during the day Tuesday followed by a lighter period of mixed snow/sleet/freezing drizzle/drizzle on Tuesday night. Let’s dig into the snow first.

12Z GFS Model Showing Strong Plenty Of Energy To Produce Heavy Snow Tuesday Afternoon. Credit: Accuweather

As warm air plows northward, it will run into the cold air that arrives tonight into tomorrow. This will allow for heavy snow to form on the leading edge of the warm air as it is forced up and over the cold air. This map from the 12Z GFS shows strong forcing (that’s how the moisture in the air is squeezed out) Tuesday morning. Expect slick roads and heavy snow starting Tuesday morning and lasting through Tuesday afternoon/evening. This is when most of the snow will fall. A general 4-8″ is expected with some seeing more and some less. See the snowfall map below for more details.

Mixing Concerns

12Z GFS Showing Warm Air Aloft Creeping In Tuesday Afternoon. Credit: Accuweather

Southwest winds bringing the warm moist air into the region will eventually bring in warm enough air to start causing mixing problems especially in Southern New England. My current thinking is that Warm air aloft gets as far north as the MA state line during the tail end of the steady precip. Lighter precip will linger through the evening and areas as far north as Portland could see some light sleet/freezing rain overnight Tuesday. If warm air moves in earlier/farther north than forecast which is a possibility, totals could be cut down in SW ME and NH. Northeast of route 26 is likely safe from any impactful sleet.

12Z CMC Showing A Tight Temperature Gradient Along The Coast Associated With The Coastal Front. Image Credit: Weatherbell

The other concern for precip type will be along the immediate coast where a coastal front is likely to form. There will likely be a tight temperature gradient along this front and if you end up on the SE side, temps could rise high enough to change the precip to a rain/snow mix. This threat is greatest along the coast south of Portland and along the tips of the peninsulas. Wherever this sets up, look just to the NW for heavier precip associated with the warm ocean air moving up and over the cold locked in at the surface. Warm air rising over cold air is what is causing this whole mess on a large scale, the same thing happens on a small scale.

Residual Light Precip

12Z CMC Showing Light Precip Lingering Tuesday Evening. Image Credit: Weatherbell

After the main snow event moves east Tuesday evening, lingering low level moisture will contribute to light mixed precip lingering through the first half of Tuesday night. As warm air completes its invasion aloft Tuesday evening, this could fall any of a number of ways, snow, sleet, freezing rain, or rain. The precip will be light so the impact on snowfall totals will be limited.

I’m thinking that because the moisture is below the warm layers, it stays mostly snow. The warm air moves in at 700mb (10,000 feet or so) but the cold stays tough below that (the blue lines on the map above indicate subfreezing temps at 5,000 feet). The moisture is in the low levels (where the cold air is) and thus even though 700mb is warm, I could definitely see another inch of snow as the snow falls in the low level cold layer. Regardless, this will keep roads slick through Tuesday night despite the heavy precip being gone.

Expected Snowfall

Looking at the final snowfall amounts, I expect a general 4-8″ for Northern New England with less to the south. I think someone sees 10 or 11″ and the best chance looks to be either in the mountains where deep cold stays really locked in contributing to a drier snowfall that accumulates faster or near the coast where the coastal front contributes to more liquid falling from the sky. The coastal ‘jackpot’ area largely depends on the ocean air staying farther SE and the sleet being kept at bay. The northern Jackpot is dependant on enough moisture moving that far north. A coastal low developing Tuesday evening will try to steal some of the moisture from NW areas.

I’ll have another update tomorrow evening on the storm, details on tomorrow’s weather will come tomorrow morning.

-Jack

A Quickly Improving Day Today

October 29, 2015 Jack Sillin 1 Comment

Hello everyone!

5:10 AM Radar Showing Very Heavy Rain Across NE Areas With Lighter More Scattered Precip Back To Our West.

Our long-awaited storm is here and heavy rain is falling across the area with the expected strong winds as accompaniment. The heaviest of rain is north and east of Portland as of 5:15 this morning and this area of intense rain/wind will continue to move NE in the coming hours. Behind that lies a batch of very heavy rain over SE MA and lighter showers over eastern NY. The SE MA rain is moving NE and will likely impact the midcoast with another round of torrential rain and gusty winds. More showers lurk back in NY associated with cold front #1 today and expect one last shot at intense rain and driving winds as this moves through.

HRRR Model IDEA On How Rain Evolves Today. Notice Showers Around 9 AM Then More Showers/Thunderstorms Later In The Evening. Credit: Weatherbell

Behind those showers, which arrive 9-10 AM, expect clearing skies and warming temps. By mid/late afternoon, temps in the 70’s are likely under partly sunny skies. Another cold front moves through this evening which touches off some showers and possibly a few thunderstorms too. For a minute, it just may feel more like August than October. Temps drop a bit behind the front but a continued stretch of very mild weather looks to be on the way for the next week or so.

-Jack

Heavy Rain And Wind Moves In Tomorrow Evening

October 27, 2015 Jack Sillin Leave a comment

Hello everyone!

Not too much has changed since yesterday in terms of our upcoming heavy rain event. Here’s a quick updated rundown of what to expect.

Rain

12Z Canadian HRDPS Model Showing Deep Mositure Flooding Into The Area On Strong SE Winds. Map Valid 6AM Thursday. Credit: Weatherbell — 12Z Canadian HRDPS Model Showing Deep Moisture Flooding Into The Area On Strong SE Winds. Map Valid 6AM Thursday. Credit: Weatherbell

Rain moves in during the evening hours tomorrow arriving in SW areas around 5 or 6 tomorrow evening with most of the area seeing rain by 7 or 8 PM. The heavier rain will hold off until later in the evening beginning in the west around 9 and spreading east through midnight. Between midnight and 6 AM or so, expect the worst conditions to occur with heavy rain being driven by strong winds.

NWS WPC Total Rainfall Forecast Through Thursday. Tan/Orange Areas Show 1-2″ Amounts While The Red Colors In The Mountains Show 2-2.5″ Totals. Credit: Weatherbell

While available moisture (Precipitable Water, shown above) is quite high, as well as forcing for wringing out that moisture, the ideal parameters are only really in place for about 6 hours early Thursday morning. As a result, total rainfall will be limited somewhat compared to if this was a more slowly moving system. A total of 1-1.5″ of rain is likely with 2-2.5″ amounts on south-facing mountain slopes.

Wind

Winds will become gusty tomorrow afternoon out of the SE as the front approaches. Expect winds building throughout the day with peak gusts arriving in the same 6 hour window as the heaviest rain from 12-6 AM Thursday. Most areas should see 15-25 mph winds with gusts to 35mph while the coast sees 25-35 mph winds gusting to near 60 mph. The plot above shows winds (everything but the yellow line, in knots) and the mixing layer (yellow line). Any winds below the yellow line are eligible to mix down to the surface in heavy precip. In heavy precip early Thursday morning, someone along the coast is likely to see some of those intense winds aloft mixed down on the order of 50-60 mph. The greatest threat for this is the NE coast closer to Penobscot Bay where a wind Advisory is up. All coastal areas should be prepared for strong winds, the chart above is for Portland.

Takeaway

Rain begins tomorrow evening becoming heavy late at night. Winds will also be on the increase out of the SE. Peak rain and wind occurs 12-6 AM Thursday with wind gusts approaching 60 mph along the coast. A total of 1-1.5″ of rain is likely with more on the south-facing mountain slopes where 2-2.5″ is likely.

I’ll have more updates tomorrow in a similar patter to today’s updates.

-Jack

Evening Update On Midweek Heavy Rain Event

October 26, 2015 Jack Sillin 5 Comments

Hello everyone!

Our midweek heavy rain event is still very much on track for Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning. Tonight’s update will focus more on specific impacts rather than larger scale setups.

Rain

Heavy rainfall is likely to be the main threat from this storm as Patricia’s moisture streams northward and interacts with the approaching cold front. A general 1-2″ is likely (Tan-Orange shadings on the map) with some 2-3″ amounts likely in the favored upslope areas (reddish shadings on the map). The fast moving nature of this system is what will keep precip amounts relatively low and given the quick arrival of dry air from the west Thursday morning, heavy precip should be centered in the 8PM-6AM timeframe which will limit total rainfall. Rain is likely to arrive earlier in the evening Wednesday likely closer to 5 or 6PM. These details will continue to be refined in the coming days.

Wind

With a strong cold front comes strong winds and this time is no different. A SE gradient will sharpen up during the day Wednesday leading to very strong winds by Wednesday afternoon into the evening. On the map above, the yellow line is the mixing layer and the red/green/blue contours are wind speeds. Elevation is the y-axis and time is the x-axis but read from right to left (I didn’t make the graph I promise! (credit to that goes to BUFKIT)). The takeaway is that any wind under the mixing layer is ‘eligible for a ride to the surface in heavy rain. Given the likely heavy rain early Thursday morning which coincides with the strongest winds just above the surface, very high winds are definitely a concern from midnight Thursday to 6-7AM or so. Expect the highest winds along the coast 20-30 mph with gusts to 55 mph or so. Lesser winds are expected elsewhere. With this kind of wind, saturated ground from the heavy rain, and some leaves definitely still on the trees, scattered power outages are likely especially along the coast.

The tides don’t look to line up particularly well for coastal flooding but some minor splashover is possible in the usually suspect areas.

I’ll follow today’s update pattern again tomorrow with daily weather in the morning and then a storm update in the evening.

-Jack

Neat Weather Tidbit – Virga, The Mysterious Vanishing Snow

October 18, 2015 Jack Sillin 2 Comments

Hello everyone!

Back again this evening with another neat tidbit about Maine weather, this time: the term/phenomenon Virga.

Crazy Virga in Yarmouth. Still nothing reaching the ground #mewx #virgzzard2k15 #cold #winteriscoming http://t.co/ELBurol7zz—
Jack Sillin (@JackSillin) October 18, 2015

I tweeted this afternoon about a neat phenomenon I observed known to the weather community as virga. Very cold air aloft and some slight daytime heating at the surface combined to create some instability clouds/showers today across the area. Many areas saw their first flakes today but here in Yarmouth, extremely dry air at the surface prevented any flakes from making it to the ground though plenty were seen falling high above.

Virga occurs when precipitation falls out of a cloud into a very dry atmosphere below the cloud. The precip then evaporates leading to a dry surface while a healthy shower occurs above. This phenomenon creates a neat visual effect similar to a paintbrush running out of paint mid stroke as the precip gradually fades away.

Here are some more pictures of the Virga here in Yarmouth.

Another chilly night is on the way so keep fragile plants indoors through tomorrow.

-Jack

Another Light Snow Event Tomorrow Night Through Monday Morning

February 28, 2015 Jack Sillin 2 Comments

Hello everyone!

Special update this evening to bring you up to date on yet another storm that will graze us with some light snow tomorrow night into Monday morning. This storm will, like many this winter, develop in such a way that eastern areas as well as southern areas will see the most snow.

storm east again — 12Z GFS Showing The Storm To The NE And The Moisture To The SE At 7 AM Monday Morning. Credit: Weatherbell

As we have seen many times this winter, the storm will be developing too late to bring significant snowfall to the region however, with snow just coming to an end across coastal areas Monday morning, the commute will likely be slick. Snow moves out during the midmorning hours Monday before clearing takes place Monday afternoon.

Here are my thoughts regarding snow accumulations. The Boston area looks to be the jackpot yet again while northern areas miss out.

Another snow event looks to arrive on Wednesday and may involve some mixed precipitation for southern areas. More details later.

-Jack

Widespread Whiteouts As Blizzard Churns Offshore

January 27, 2015 Jack Sillin Leave a comment

Hello everyone!

Quick mid-storm update this morning and all systems are go as far as the forecast is concerned. Heavy mesoscale bands are producing intense snowfall rates of 2-4″ per hour and storm to sometimes hurricane force wind gusts (50-80 MPH) are blowing all that snow around. Yesterday’s maps and analysis still stands so refer back to last night’s blog post for those details.

Here is a look at the radar as of 10:00 this morning showing several areas of enhanced snowfall. Our next intense band is strengthening offshore and will bring more intense snowfall rates to the area this afternoon. Even in areas outside of the heaviest bands, snowfall rates are still in the 1-2″ per hour range.

Expect continued blizzard conditions through the afternoon and evening before snow becomes lighter tonight. Steady snow will end tomorrow morning before tapering off to snow showers. Colder air will arrive on NW winds tomorrow so expect continued blowing and drifting which could cause locally reduced visibilities and dangerous road conditions even though snow will no longer be falling.

Our next chance for widespread snowfall arrives Friday but it should not be a major event. More details once this storm ends. Yet another storm threat arrives early next week.

I’ll be back tomorrow morning with the usual AM update.

-Jack

Forecasterjack

Tag Archives: Maine

Highly Uncertain Snow Event Tomorrow Night

Heavy Rain And High Winds Arrive Tomorrow

A Messy Winter Storm Today

Another Messy Storm On The Way Tuesday

A Quickly Improving Day Today

Heavy Rain And Wind Moves In Tomorrow Evening

Evening Update On Midweek Heavy Rain Event

Neat Weather Tidbit – Virga, The Mysterious Vanishing Snow

Another Light Snow Event Tomorrow Night Through Monday Morning

Widespread Whiteouts As Blizzard Churns Offshore

Reliably hype-free weather info for Western Maine and New Hampshire from amateur forecaster Jack Sillin

Rate this:

Share this cool post:

Rate this:

Share this cool post:

Rate this:

Share this cool post:

Rate this:

Share this cool post:

Rate this:

Share this cool post:

Rate this:

Share this cool post:

Rate this:

Share this cool post:

Rate this:

Share this cool post:

Rate this:

Share this cool post:

Rate this:

Share this cool post:

Reliably hype-free weather info for Western Maine and New Hampshire from amateur forecaster Jack Sillin