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

[Roger J Smith]

Debs, another surge of warmer air heading your way now, should be arriving on Tuesday as temps rise to about 10 C then a fairly heavy rainfall indicated for Wednesday, 25 mms at least, so considerable melting again through that period.

The warmth is already gathering in the central plains states where highs are likely to reach 24 C today, then on towards the lower Great Lakes and northeast US tomorrow where 15 C or higher possible, fronts edge south on Tuesday with a new low forming in the Ohio valley along the front, and this is the feature that is likely to provide the rainfall as it moves up the stalled front on Wednesday. Snow on the north side of this feature could be locally heavy around upstate NY into southern Quebec on Tuesday.

[WhiteFox]

WF, What are your views on the storm being progged for the east coast late next week? Depending on the track, NYC could get a fair dump out of it.

The consensus up to now has been for the system to be too far out to sea to impact on NYC. The GFS brought the system a bit further West today, just clipping New York. We're still well within the window for decent snow events in New York; indeed many commentators have been calling for a couple of sizeable March storms all winter. La Nina events tend to favour cooler springs, but also March snowstorms are much more likely to occur in years where the storm track has been favourable through the preceding January and February. The average snowfall in NYC for March is 5.1 inches, most of which is to be expected in the first twenty days or so. Once you get to the end of March you can really feel the sun's strength. It's easy to forget in the depths of winter that we are situated further south than Barcelona!

Currently, I'd expect either a fish storm, or a trend to the West which eventually brings the storm through as a coastal hugger, i.e. rain for east of the I95 corridor with snow to rain further west. This has been the case for the season so far and I don't see anything different now.

Incidentally, probably the last intense cold shot looks to be heading down later this week. 850 temps down to below -20oC as far south as Chicago with sub 510 thicknesses. Currently the forecast high for Chicago on Friday (where I find myself this week) is -6oC. As with much of the season though, the cold shot departs as quickly as it arrives. This air passes over to NYC by Saturday. The ensembles are far from agreement on this one though; there is a lot of uncertainty given the sheer amount of energy passing across the continent with a couple of meaty storms.

[Yozzer]

...

Currently, I'd expect either a fish storm, or a trend to the West which eventually brings the storm through as a coastal hugger, i.e. rain for east of the I95 corridor with snow to rain further west. This has been the case for the season so far and I don't see anything different now.

Incidentally, probably the last intense cold shot looks to be heading down later this week. 850 temps down to below -20oC as far south as Chicago with sub 510 thicknesses. Currently the forecast high for Chicago on Friday (where I find myself this week) is -6oC. As with much of the season though, the cold shot departs as quickly as it arrives. This air passes over to NYC by Saturday. The ensembles are far from agreement on this one though; there is a lot of uncertainty given the sheer amount of energy passing across the continent with a couple of meaty storms.

Yes, looks like the Mid-west gets a brief cold shot in time for your trip...enjoy!

Still think GFS is pushing the storm later in the week a bit too far offshore, time will tell. If it goes up the immediate eastern seaboard I think this will be the best one of the season.

[Roger J Smith]

Looks to me as though this Saturday event will be mild and all rain, heavy at times, for NYC and well north into New England too, turning to snow as the low tracks through coastal NH and ME towards NB. Debs, you can expect to lose all your snow in the next five days, better start working on that ark.

Any cooling behind today's event will be quite shallow for the northeast and pushed back fairly quickly on Friday night by the advancing low. Debs, for your location today's low arrives on Wednesday and stays through part of Thursday, so rapid melting with some rain there, a bit of a freeze on Friday morning, but then more mild weather and rain on Saturday.

Currently I am away from the coast in central BC and the arctic front has stalled right about where I am staying, bringing some wet snow but nothing much, looks like it might clear up this afternoon as higher pressure building across from the Pacific to northern Alberta, all moving slowly south. This would be the colder shot expected for Chicago by Friday and Saturday, looks like it should be about -5 C there.

[Coast]

Its not just the UK thats in for some severe weather then:

Globe and Mail Update

March 6, 2008 at 12:03 PM EST

A major winter storm that Environment Canada says could end up being one of the biggest snow makers of the winter for eastern Ontario will hit the region just in time for March break and the busiest travelling day of the year at Canada's largest airport.

A Texas low is forecast to move into the province on Friday afternoon and stay right through to Saturday evening before it moves east into Quebec and the Maritimes.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement in advance of the system warning of the “potential that this storm will intensify into one of the biggest snow makers of the winter for eastern Ontario.”

That could mean bad news for travellers flying in and out of Pearson International Airport. Friday is the busiest day of the year, with more than 100,000 passengers – 14 per cent more than usual – set to move through the airport. Sunday is the second busiest day of the year.

“This is looking like a significant event and the question right now is just how much snow are certain parts of southern Ontario going to receive,” said meteorologist Geoff Coulson.

“It's also important for the folks travelling for March break. This will be a very big event in terms of impact on the American eastern seaboard, New England, southern Quebec, the Maritimes and eventually Newfoundland and Labrador,” he said, noting some of the big airport hubs on the U.S. east coast will likely see delays.

Trish Krale, spokeswoman for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which manages Pearson, urged passengers to check their flights in advance with their airlines or the GTAA's website.

“Weather unfortunately is the unknown variable at the moment,” she said. “We have to plan for what they're calling for which is a fair bit of snow starting tomorrow afternoon and going into Saturday.”

Ms. Krale said extra maintenance crews and terminal staff are being called in advance, as per usual in advance of a big weather event.

Mr. Coulson said Environment Canada will update the situation Thursday at about 3:30 p.m. EST.

“[Winter] just doesn't seem to want to quit,” he said.

A storm that moved through eastern Canada Wednesday dropped enough snow on Ottawa to make this winter the second snowiest in the capital's history of weather records. About 355 centimetres have fallen on Ottawa so far, second only to the winter of 1970-71, when the region got 444.1 centimetres of snow

[SnowStorm(Jamie)]

The USA have had some great snowfall this year, im glad i was there to see some of it. They always seem to get intense cold snaps/spells every year, very interesting to monitor them and of course witness.

Jamie

Edited March 6, 2008 by SnowStorm(Jamie)

[NL]

Cold plunge getting far south Northern Texas and southern Oklahoma have been issued a

heavy snow warning 1"-2" per/hr.

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/md/md0360.html

[Roger J Smith]

This storm now organizing over south Texas with tornados reported near Victoria and Corpus Christi. Track appears to be up the east side of the Appalachians to western MA by Saturday then more northeast through Maine and New Brunswick. Expect very mild temps with heavy rain along the coast and some distance inland, freezing rain near track of low and 8-15 inches of snow further north as indicated in the discussion above, mostly west of a line from Harrisburg PA to Scranton PA to Utica NY and then north-central NH.

[Coopsy]

Not much to report here in the west...clear blue skies, temps topping out at 11oC today with apparantly warmer weather on the way...had about 3 inches of surprise snow Monday but everything is melted now, except the huge snow banks from previously cleared snow...spring clear up in a few weeks..ah is that the distant smell of BBQ's and Beer?

[WhiteFox]

I hope I get into LaGuardia before the first band of rain hits. There's a developing disturbance expected to come in quite a bit ahead of the main storm. My flight is supposed to arrive at about 2pm so hopefully the rain won't have arrived yet. Could be 2-3 inches or even more by the time this has passed through.

[Yozzer]

I hope I get into LaGuardia before the first band of rain hits. There's a developing disturbance expected to come in quite a bit ahead of the main storm. My flight is supposed to arrive at about 2pm so hopefully the rain won't have arrived yet. Could be 2-3 inches or even more by the time this has passed through.

Yes, by the look of 0z, track has shifted very very slightly to west, so a bit worried about amount of rain falling onto snowpack in New England, which together with possible ice damming in rivers could cause some major flooding.

[Coast]

The worst storm of the winter should hit the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region this morning, bringing as much as 12 inches of snow by Saturday afternoon. We are under a winter weather advisory until noon today, when it turns into a winter storm warning in effect until 4 p.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington. A winter storm warning means severe weather conditions are imminent or highly likely.

Meteorologists have been tracking a massive storm system headed our way from the Southwest that should land after the morning rush hour, between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. The worst of the storm is expected to be tonight. Three inches of snow is expected today. Anther 8 inches could fall by Saturday afternoon.

Temperatures will fall today. After a high this morning of 34 degrees, it will be 32 degrees by 9 a.m. and 30 degrees by noon, keeping the precipitation all snow, said meteorologist John Franks said. Earlier, meteorologists weren’t sure if we would see rain or sleet with this system.

Snow drifts of 1 to 2 feet are possible with winds blowing at 20 to 30 miles an hour, Franks said. “When all is said and done we are looking at the possibility of a foot along the I-71 corridor,” he said. “We won’t know until tomorrow afternoon or tomorrow evening.”

School closings and delays are coming in.

Fairfield and Hamilton schools are closed today. Lakota remains open as scheduled. Lebanon Schools are closed. Southwest Schools are dismissing two hours early. In Northern Kentucky, Boone County schools will dismiss two hours early and Grant County schools are closed. Campbell and Kenton schools are dismissing two hours early.

The last time the region saw so much snow was Feb. 5, 1998, when more than a foot of snow - 13 inches - was recorded, Franks said. More recently, more than 8 inches of snow and a quarter inch or more of ice blanketed Greater Cincinnati Dec. 22 and 23, 2004, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Climatic Data Center.

In Cincinnati, 80 trucks pre-treated all the main and residential streets Thursday with salt, said Greg Ayers, supervisor of operations for Cincinnati Public Services. Those trucks will be out again today and this weekend, until the storm is over and roads are clear, he said.

Road crews are keeping a close watch on the ever-changing weather forecast.

“We are watching the freeze line,” he said. “We always fight with that in this valley. We never know what we are going to get. We plan for the worst and hope for the best. With temperatures in the 30s, that helps the salt work better.”

Cincinnati’s salt supply is holding up, he added. There is enough – 10,000 tons remaining – for this storm, he said. But just in case, 750 tons will be delivered today, and another 750 tons should arrive Saturday, he added. The low tonight will fall to 22 degrees -- but, with the wind chill factor, it will feel like 6 degrees.

Saturday’s high will only be 26 degrees. The low overnight will fall to 13 degrees with a wind chill factor again of 6 degrees. Temperatures warm a bit Sunday, with a high of 33 degrees.

Source: news.cincinnati.com

[WhiteFox]

A blizzard warning has now been issued for Cincinnati until 4pm tomorrow. I wouldn't be too jealous. My colleague tells me that it is the roughest place in the US that he's ever visited...

Didn't get off scot free into LGA; there were a few clouds so a traffic management program resulted in a 2 hour delay. Mind you, Newark was worse; they had a ground stop for 40 minutes.

This site provides loads of webcams to see what's going on across the US and Canada

Edited March 7, 2008 by WhiteFox

[SnowStorm(Jamie)]

Hey guys,

Blizzard/winter storm warnings have been issued for Ohio in such citys as: Columbus, New Philadelphia, Cleveland.

Here is the blizzard warning from wunderground it remains if force until "4 PM EST this afternoon."

Jamie

Edited March 8, 2008 by SnowStorm(Jamie)

[debs]

Hi Guys,

Just got back off holiday and looks like I need to dig out my waders..

Thanks for the heads up. Can see lots of yellow grass.

Catch up with you all if I don't get swept away in the night

TTFN

Debs

[Roger J Smith]

Debs, no kidding eh ... this storm has dropped 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) of rain over large sections of coastal New England, Long Island, NYC and NJ ... now a squall line has developed and has given 70 mph gusts to Philly and Newark NJ heading for NYC, perhaps we'll hear more about that from WF.

Upstate NY, 10 inches of snow in Buffalo and also across into much of southern ON, w PA and OH, with strong winds whipping it around into large drifts. Ithaca NY in the Finger Lakes region south of Lake Ontario reporting a massive ice storm outside the city with many trees down.

Offshore the Hotel buoy at 39N 71W is reporting a very warm 24 C and 23 C sea surface temps, well above normal there so a Gulf stream eddy has obviously energized this low. Heading right for New Brunswick tonight, could see 50-75 mms of rain and severe flooding of smaller rivers. The larger St John River must be tagged for later flood problems as heavy snow upstream becoming waterlogged now with this cold rain over that area. This flood risk will likely come in late March and April.

[Cookie]

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/impact...3/18499919.html

Ottawa poised for snow record

09 Mar 2008

Ottawa could see between 30 and 50 centimetres of snow fall over the weekend, Environment Canada has said.

The Ottawa Citizen reported on March 6th that Canada's capital could see a storm lasting between 36 and 48 hours this weekend, with snowfall potentially beating 1947's one-day record of 40.6 centimetres.

Days after snow removal teams began clearing roads that have become blocked during this particularly harsh winter, residents are preparing for more severe weather.

"This one is definitely shaping up to be another significant event, not only for Eastern Ontario, but with potential for other parts of Southern Ontario to share in the experience," Environment Canada meteorologist Geoff Coulson told the news provider.

[Yozzer]

Columbus, ohio broke its all time record for a single storm over the weekend, with 20.4". Clipper system on its way for midweek, before a bit of a thaw, with some models going for a return to winter in the north-east after next weekend.

[SnowStorm(Jamie)]

Columbus, ohio broke its all time record for a single storm over the weekend, with 20.4". Clipper system on its way for midweek, before a bit of a thaw, with some models going for a return to winter in the north-east after next weekend.

I find it amazing We havent seen such weather like that in Britain for a long time.

I found an article about it from the BBC Here and now its about to smash in to Great Britain and Ireland or at least the southern half, what a nice gift

Jamie

Edited March 9, 2008 by SnowStorm(Jamie)

[WhiteFox]

Debs, no kidding eh ... this storm has dropped 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) of rain over large sections of coastal New England, Long Island, NYC and NJ ... now a squall line has developed and has given 70 mph gusts to Philly and Newark NJ heading for NYC, perhaps we'll hear more about that from WF.

I got caught in it!

Was walking towards the subway station; it was already raining, but then the most tremendous downpour started and the wind just picked up from nowhere. I was walking straight into it, and had trouble catching my breath, so I had to crouch behind an SUV for about ten minutes whilst the worst blew over. The temperature dropped about 10oC in the following hours; it felt quite muggy yesterday afternoon. Arrived home in the early hours to find that the pine tree next door had blown over; I guess this was a combination of the waterlogged ground and strong winds.

Today was much nicer with clear blue skies and the temperature at 6oC for a high. The sun is much stronger now, and with clear skies, even 850 temperatures of -15oC do not keep the surface temperatures below freezing. We only get ice days from now if there is snow or if the 850 temps are exceptionally low. Last March there was one day which recorded a maximum temperature of -6oC....

[Coopsy]

I feel like I am missing out on the action, here I havent seen a cloud for days and temps have been around 10-12oC, little wind, very nice spring like conditions

[WhiteFox]

I feel like I am missing out on the action, here I havent seen a cloud for days and temps have been around 10-12oC, little wind, very nice spring like conditions

It was pleasant today in the sunshine. High was only 8oC but it felt really nice. Can't wait to feel the high teens or low twenties!

[debs]

Hi guys,

Well day 2 of glorious sunshine after the weekend rains. Still have an ice rink in the garden as temps are below freezing. (video attached of my 10 year old skating, not too bad considering she only started skating a few weeks ago, hopefully its viewable)

This morning it was -13 here. Temperature on the deck at the moment is readin a mighty +23 degrees so the sun is most definately warming, sadly this isn't the actual temperature but I can see why some people do sit outside on their decks at this time of year, that sunshine is gorgeous and although it doesn't feel like the +23 its does'nt feel like the -7 either.

TTFN

Debs

000_0686.mov

[johnholmes]

Hi guys,

Well day 2 of glorious sunshine after the weekend rains. Still have an ice rink in the garden as temps are below freezing. (video attached of my 10 year old skating, not too bad considering she only started skating a few weeks ago, hopefully its viewable)

This morning it was -13 here. Temperature on the deck at the moment is readin a mighty +23 degrees so the sun is most definately warming, sadly this isn't the actual temperature but I can see why some people do sit outside on their decks at this time of year, that sunshine is gorgeous and although it doesn't feel like the +23 its does'nt feel like the -7 either.

TTFN

Debs

looks like Skeggie' on a coldish day Debs!

[Beverley Lass]

Hi guys,

Well day 2 of glorious sunshine after the weekend rains. Still have an ice rink in the garden as temps are below freezing. (video attached of my 10 year old skating, not too bad considering she only started skating a few weeks ago, hopefully its viewable)

This morning it was -13 here. Temperature on the deck at the moment is readin a mighty +23 degrees so the sun is most definately warming, sadly this isn't the actual temperature but I can see why some people do sit outside on their decks at this time of year, that sunshine is gorgeous and although it doesn't feel like the +23 its does'nt feel like the -7 either.

TTFN

Debs

Wow, that was great to see Debs, your lass is making a super skater !

Love the squeals too http://nwstatic.co.uk/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

Brrr, don't fancy a dip in that ocean just yet.

Take care,

Cheers,

BL xxx