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

[If Wishes made Weather]

It's theoretically possible, although surface temp's of 10f is pushing the boundaries.

Something similar occurred in January 1740 when low pressure moving up the English Channel met a bitterly cold air mass sitting over Europe and the British Isles resulting in an easterly gale and peratures around -7 to -9c in southern England.

The major difference between here and New England is that they have a huge, cold, continental landmass to the west from which to draw bitterly cold air, both in advance of, and in the wake of passing depressions and a very large supply of warm, moist air to the east to produce the snow. On this side of the Atlantic the continental land mass to the east is not guaranteed to be cold and is rarely, if ever, as uniformly cold as the interior of the northern U.S.A and Canada. The situation over there is rather as if we had an almost permanent Siberian block extending westward into Europe to provide the cold and a supply of depressions approaching on the right track bumping into it to provide the snow.

Many thanks to all for the answers on this. The impression that I get on the forum here on NW is that many would like to live in a more conntinental climate; but without having actually experienced it. I recall years ago being a vastly suprised teenager on my first trip to NYC in summer at the heat levels, and the superb gardens upstate, and in subsequent business trips experiencing the New England winter (so cold it hurts to breath in, wind blowing snow so that you cannot see over a 6 lane highway, flitting from doorway to doorway to get out of the windchill for a moment when only walking a couple of blocks). I'm sure that would, just once, these conditions hit the UK for a few weeks, we would suddenly see a model forum full of those crying out for a return of the jetstream.

[knocker]

The US and Canada plots and fronts for 1800z. The low pressure area explains the snow in Michigan.

[jethro]

An extensive area of snow in Michigan at the moment. The latest Gaylord radar.

Gaylord??????

[knocker]

Gaylord??????

The city has a sister city: Pontresina, Switzerland and features an annual event in July known as the Alpenfest. Participants are encouraged to dress in traditional Swiss stylings. And I'm not saying another word.

[Roger J Smith]

Well at least they didn't place the radar in Hell, Michigan, which is pretty close to Detroit.

Gaylord is some tiny little place in the lake country of north-central Michigan near the weather station known as Houghton Lake.

That storm is bringing freezing rain north of Toronto at present, but it's 8-10 C in southern Ontario with even the slight chance of a thundershower this evening (local time). A band of heavy snow follows the cold front but it will only last a couple of hours (further north it's 12 hours of snow and 15-30 cms). That is all moving in the general direction of Newfoundland for Thursday, by the way, should bring temperatures back up from current low levels to about +7 C in St John's.

The snow around here turned out to be very hit or miss, the system collapsed into streamers and narrow bands that gave a few places a heavy dumping of 15-20 cms, otherwise, just flurries. We're expecting a lot more late Wednesday especially between here and Seattle, the I-5 is going to be a no-go around Everett WA in the famous convergence zone.

Meanwhile it was a toasty -45 C at mid-day in Watson Lake, YT.

[cheeky_monkey]

CM in Edmonton may have set a new NW record (for active posters) with a 484 dm thickness on the 00z charts.

really???.....well its mighty cold here -33c wind chill -43c ....brrrrr!

[Aaron]

Two images from Valdez, coastal Alaska.

Edited January 18, 2012 by Aaron

[Coast]

http://youtu.be/lem8DsKKbKc

Snow-laden Alaska towns dig out from huge pile-up

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)

Students are back in class. Vulnerable roofs are shoveled for the most part. Snow removal crews are getting a breather as skies stay clear over this corner of Alaska. Life is back to normal for two towns deeply buried in snow in Prince William Sound. The National Weather Service said Tuesday the weather is supposed to remain clear in both Valdez and Cordova this week, with no more snow forecast in Cordova until next week.

"I'm seeing people smile and they don't seem so panicked," said Cordova city spokesman Allen Marquette. He said the priority — at least for him — is to move snow at the base of homes in time to make room for the next snowfall. Valdez, a snow magnet about 120 miles east of Anchorage, has received almost 27 feet of snow this winter, compared with more than 15 feet for the same time period in an average season. Michele Tompkins, who works for the city of 4,300, described the break in the weather with two words: "It's wonderful."

Cordova, 50 miles to the south, has received nearly 16 feet of snow — almost twice the snow it gets in an average winter. Cordova was so overwhelmed by the white stuff, the town issued a disaster declaration, prompting the Alaska National Guard to send 57 troops to help remove snow. The wallop also put a run on snow shovels and raised worries about avalanche dangers. The guard members left the community of 2,200 on Monday, eight days after they arrived. The state estimates the cost of paying for the guard members, bringing in heavy equipment to Cordova, fuel and other costs at $775,000, said emergency management spokesman Jeremy Zidek. "They were pretty happy to be doing that mission," he said of the guard. "One of the reasons people join the guard is to help communities in need." In the midst of the crisis, the snow caused roof collapses or partial collapses in three commercial buildings, damaged several homes and piled up so high on and around an apartment complex that it had to be evacuated, Marquette said.

The apartment residents are staying elsewhere in town. Cordova fire marshal Paul Trumblee said the building has been shoveled but it must still be checked by a structural engineer hired by the owner before it can be cleared for re-opening. Marquette said his own home was among the damaged structures around town. A large spruce tree right next to his house held a huge amount of snow on the roof with its branches. The weight slightly cracked sheet rock and pressed down hard on a door so it wouldn't open. Seven people worked on clearing the mess, using hand saws to cut three blocks of snow and ice that weighed several hundred pounds each. Marquette estimates the load at 20 tons.

Still, he was sorry to see the spruce and three smaller trees cut down. "We felt badly about it," he said. "But you hate to lose your home."

In Valdez, which is used to more snow, the town has hired scores of temporary workers to help with snow removal, paying them more than $20 an hour. Some were still on the job Tuesday. The city also has emergency crews ready for such jobs as clearing snow from outdoor residential tanks that contain fuel used to heat homes. Tompkins experienced for herself how daunting that can be. Earlier this month, she intended to clear off her 500-gallon tank so she could call the fuel company for more diesel fuel. Tompkins, who is 5 foot 1 inches tall, fell through a soft spot in the snow, landing chest-deep. "It took 10 minutes to get myself out," she said. "My daughter had to come and help me out.

http://www.google.co...45bff28b99f5700

[Coast]

Seattle about to get hit too:

Seattle could see one of its largest snowfalls since the 1940s as twin winter storms move over the Pacific Northwest, according to the National Weather Service. Between 5 and 10 inches of snow could hit the Seattle-Tacoma area Wednesday, said Dustin Guy, a meteorologist at the weather service's Seattle office.

Precipitation moving in from the south and west is combining with cold air moving south from Canada to create the heavy snowfall, Guy said. If snowfall amounts top 7 inches, the winter weather event will rank among Seattle's 10 worst since the early 1940s, Guy said. High-wind warnings were in effect along the coast, where winds could gust to hurricane force -- knocking down trees and causing power outages, said CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward.

Wednesday's snowfall in Seattle may equal its annual average, Ward said. Mountainous areas of the Pacific Northwest will see even more snow, with the largest accumulations on the eastern slopes of the Cascades, according to the weather service. Significant snowfall is expected across southern Washington, northwest Oregon and into western Idaho. Portland could see about 3 inches, according to Ward.

From late Tuesday through early Thursday, 2 feet to 3.5 feet of snow is forecast for the mountains east of Seattle, Guy said. Mount Rainier could see 10 feet of snow by Friday.

The first storm moved into the area Monday and Tuesday. The second and stronger storm was forecast to hit Wednesday into Thursday.

"It's pretty big when you get back-to-back storms like that," weather service meteorologist Roger Cloutier said. Scattered areas near Easton, Washington, along Interstate 90 in the Cascade Mountains 55 miles east of Seattle, have already received 32 inches of snow, Cloutier said.

The snowfall extends south into Oregon, with as much as 18 inches forecast for the Bend area. CNN affiliate KTVZ in Bend said an earlier round of snow over the weekend gave a boost to local ski resorts but also created treacherous driving conditions that left at least one motorist dead. Those conditions were expected to worsen. Winter storm warnings were in effect across the region. "Expect extreme travel difficulties to develop on Wednesday," the weather service said, advising those who must take to the roads during the storm to carry a flashlight, blankets and extra food and water.

The Washington State Department of Transportation said 1,250 workers will use nearly 500 pieces of equipment statewide to treat and plow roadways. Alaska Airlines said it is canceling 38 flights Wednesday because of the heavy snow expected to hit the area. CNN affiliate KING reported that Seattle Public Schools opted to close all schools two hours early. The heavy snowfall will be followed by rain, which could produce ponding water and urban flooding, Guy said.

"It's just gonna be a mess all around," he said of the coming few days in the Seattle area. Cloutier said even though computer models are trending colder and colder for the coming days, the heavy snow will eventually pose a flooding threat. "When the snow does finally melt, you can almost guarantee there will be some flooding somewhere," he said.

http://edition.cnn.c...-winter-storms/

A potentially historic winter storm is forecast to dump heavy snow across the Pacific Northwest Wednesday, probably wreaking travel havoc across a region not used to the white stuff. Unlike most Northwest storms, snow may fall even at sea level, including in Seattle and Portland. Up to a foot of snow could blanket the Seattle area, a city that typically sees about 6 inches a year. If 10 inches are measured, it would match the third-biggest snowstorm on record in Seattle, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Johnny Burg in Seattle.

The most recent big snowstorm in Seattle was in November 1985, when 7.8 inches fell, according to the weather service. The storm and its heavy snowfall could force roads to close in the passes of the Cascades, clog streets with snow and force flight delays and cancellations, AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski says. Near the coast, he says, the snow will be heavy, wet and difficult to shovel. The combination of the snow and gusty winds could down trees, taking power lines with them.

Light snow prompted some school districts in Washington and Oregon to close or delay opening Tuesday, and delays or closings are likely again Wednesday. Transportation Department trucks were out spraying de-icer and sanding roadways. The weather service placed winter storm watches and warnings for most of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. Several feet of snow could fall in the Cascades and northern Rockies, where avalanche danger is high. Later Wednesday and into Thursday, the snow should end, Burg says, but rain will begin to fall across western Washington, potentially leading to river flooding this week due to the rain and snow melt.

If the past is any hint, several inches of snow could paralyze Seattle. The city owns relatively few snowplows and Seattle drivers are mostly inexperienced with driving in snow or ice. "Snow is beautiful to look at, but it's kind of a hindrance for us to work and commute," says John Lee, 23, who works in Seattle and lives in Mill Creek. "The snowstorm is going to cause a little bit more havoc and chaos on the road." The cold, raw weather isn't confined to the Northwest: In central California, citrus farmers were nervous about a hard freeze that's hit the nation's largest fresh-fruit market this week. The weather service said temperatures dropped to as low as 19 degrees early Tuesday, and hard freeze warnings were in effect again for early Wednesday morning.

"It will be a week before we see what damage there may or may not be," said Dean Thonesen of Sun West Fruit, east of Fresno.

http://www.wbir.com/...blast-Northwest

[knocker]

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR

746 PM PST TUE JAN 17 2012

...A STRONG WINTER STORM WILL IMPACT THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TONIGHT

THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

.A STRONG PACIFIC STORM WILL BRING HEAVY SNOW TO WASHINGTON AND

OREGON OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HEAVY SNOW WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE

EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON AND OREGON CASCADES EARLY THIS

EVENING AND THEN SPREAD INTO THE REMAINDER OF EASTERN WASHINGTON

AND EASTERN OREGON LATER THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY. GUSTY

SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CAUSE SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE SNOW

IN MANY LOCATIONS.

ORZ044-507-WAZ028-029-181500-

/O.CON.KPDT.WS.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120119T0300Z/

LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON-

FOOTHILLS OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-

LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF WASHINGTON-

FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON-

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BOARDMAN...HERMISTON...IONE...

PENDLETON...PILOT ROCK...CONNELL...PROSSER...TRI-CITIES...

DAYTON...WAITSBURG...WALLA WALLA

746 PM PST TUE JAN 17 2012

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM PST

WEDNESDAY...

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM PST

WEDNESDAY.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 4 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED IN THE

FOOTHILLS OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS AND THE LOWER

COLUMBIA BASIN.

* ELEVATION: ALL ELEVATIONS.

* TIMING: SNOW WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING AND INCREASE IN COVERAGE

AND INTENSITY LATER TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: TRI-CITIES...PROSSER...DAYTON...WALLA

WALLA...PENDLETON...PILOT ROCK

* WINDS: 15 TO 25 MPH WINDS WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH WILL CAUSE

OCCASIONAL BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW.

* IMPACTS: SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS DRIVING

CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN AND THE

FOOTHILLS OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS. ROADS MAY BECOME

VERY ICY WEDNESDAY EVENING IF FREEZING RAIN DEVELOPS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SIGNIFICANT SNOW

ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED. SNOWFALL INTENSITIES WILL BE HEAVY

ENOUGH TO SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE VISIBILITIES AT TIMES. FOR

ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT

WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PENDLETON.

&&

[summer blizzard]

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rnamavn1681.png

Nor'easter possible in 7 days?

Something to watch definitely.

[glosteroldboy]

http://www.wetterzen...Rnamavn1681.png

Nor'easter possible in 7 days?

Something to watch definitely.

Hope so!

Beginning to think my first winter here and we are going to go through the whole of January (and December) without any major snow storms. Since the 30cm one in November we haven't really seen anything major here, plenty of flurries giving the odd cm or 2 and several minor 10cm systems along with lots of milder days, nothing is sticking around. December has actually been better than January so far for snow which is unusual here. Snow in the forecast most days now but only small amounts atm.

Edited January 18, 2012 by glosteroldboy

[knocker]

MRF fot 00z Weds.

[Coast]

Seattle is waking up this morning to a blanket of snow. It won't be a record snowfall for the city -- but it's a "whole other story" for the southwest interior of Washington state, where 10 to 20 more inches of snow are expected. The southern two-thirds of western Washington are under a winter storm warning, said Dustin Guy, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Seattle. The area already has had nearly a foot of snow in the last six hours, he said.

"Getting over a foot of snow anywhere west of the Cascade Mountains" is unusual, Guy said in an interview, and "travel will be quite difficult. ... Smaller communities likely will not see roads plowed anytime soon." "Seattle itself, we've only got 1 to 2 inches so far," he said. "We'll get more throughout the morning and afternoon. We're expecting a total of 3 to 6."

For a "top 10" snowfall, Seattle would have to receive 7 inches in a 24-hour period, he said. Although the current storm is "'still a significant snow event," it's not likely one for the record books. It's a "heavy snow event" for the Cascade Mountains too, Guy said. "We see winter storm warnings for the mountains quite frequently ... but this is not the typical thing we see," he said. From 1 1/2 to 3 feet of snow are predicted.

Relief should arrive Thursday, the meteorologist said, with rain and a gradual warm-up throughout the day and into the evening. Then, there will be "a big slushy mess for quite a while."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2012/01/snow-seattle-washington-interior-winter-storm.html

[knocker]

The extensive snow covers most of Washington, Oregon and into Idaho and Nevada. Latest Spokane radar.

[knocker]

The 1800z plots and fronts.

[knocker]

Snow depth 181800z.

[cheeky_monkey]

Didnt quite hit -40c last night..bottomed out at -38c..thats pretty impressive as we were breaking records for highs just over a week ago.

[Coast]

Seattle Snow Storm Hits Northwest, Less Snow Than Expected

A highly anticipated snowstorm hit Seattle and the surrounding area Wednesday, dumping less snow than expected on the Pacific Northwest. Forecasters downgraded their initial predictions of snowfall of 8 to 12 inches in the region to a more moderate 4 to 7. The expected snowfall could still be more than the average annual amount of snow of 5.9 inches in Seattle.

While eastern Washington state is accustomed to heavy snowfalls, Seattle and the surrounding Puget Sound cities are not. Residents are unaccustomed to driving in snow and the city is not equipped with the necessary salt and snowplows that are commonplace in Chicago and New York. The National Weather Service put out a winter weather advisory in the area for Tuesday and Wednesday with warnings of dangerous roads and difficult travel conditions. Residents were advised to be prepared with extra flashlights, food, water and blankets in case of an emergency.

The expected snowstorm also prompted many schools to post delays and closures for Tuesday and Wednesday. Major airlines also cancelled their flights to and from the Seattle-Tacoma airport Wednesday. There were expectations that the storm this week could exceed the amount of snow seen in the region since the record-breaking November 1985 blizzard. On Nov. 21 and 27, snow storms in the area brought a total of 17.5 inches of snow in Seattle in one of the coldest Novembers on record. Seattle's largest snowstorm on record of all time occurred Jan. 5-9 in 1880, with snow accumulation of 6 feet in some places, according to the Daily Mail.

Following the storm, snow may give way to rain later in the week, leading to more typical weather for the winter months in the region. Temperatures should rise Thursday and Friday, followed by an expected weekend forecast of rain with temperatures in the mid-40s.

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/283960/20120118/seattle-snow-storm-hits-photos-less-pictures.htm

[Coast]

PHOTOS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST SNOWS

Courtesy Steve Pierce, President, Oregon Chapter of the American Meteorological Society (AMS)

http://www.ametsoc.org/chapters/oregon/

[glosteroldboy]

Another mild day here yesterday, hit 9 degrees!! and very foggy which has just about melted any remaining snow piles though a few hang on. Almost like the weather gods are being kind to us in removing all the snow before giving us more to pile up as it's cooling down again now below freezing in preperation for around 15-20cm of snow tomorrow, biggest single dump since November if it goes as forecast:

Warnings

St. John's and vicinity

5:18 AM NST Thursday 19 January 2012

Snowfall warning for

St. John's and vicinity issued

Snowfall accumulations of 15 to 20 centimetres are expected tonight and Friday.

This is a warning that significant snowfall is expected in these regions. Monitor weather conditions..Listen for updated statements.

A low pressure system over the Southern Labrador Sea will continue to track northeastward to lie south of Greenland by this evening. Westerly winds gusting to 110 km/h will develop in the Canada bay area this morning and subside by this evening as the low moves away.

Meanwhile, a low pressure system developing off Cape Hatteras will intensify as it tracks towards Newfoundland tonight and pass southeast of the Avalon Peninsula on Friday morning. Snow associated with this system will spread across the Avalon Peninsula overnight and persist into Friday. The snow will be heaviest along the southeastern portion of the Avalon Peninsula where near 20 cm are expected before the snow ends near noon on Friday. Also, strong northeasterly winds will cause localized blowing snow late overnight and early Friday morning.

Edited January 19, 2012 by glosteroldboy

[alr1970]

PHOTOS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST SNOWS

Courtesy Steve Pierce, President, Oregon Chapter of the American Meteorological Society (AMS)

http://www.ametsoc.o...hapters/oregon/

Let's face it, we're not going to see a Mini looking like that here this winter!

[conor123]

Benn following the snow and then ice storms across Washington/Seattle a lot the past few days, looks like its finally ending today with milder air moving in but big snowstorm for the North East US tommorow now?

[glosteroldboy]

Snow storm here this morning, not that great by Newfoundland standards but not something an Englishman sees very often! Very windy powder snow blowing horizontally, accumulations vary greatly from nothing to above the knees depending on where the wind can get at it, more like walking around in sand dunes out there lol

[knocker]

Just for a change a red flag warning out for Texas with near record high temps.

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX

405 AM CST FRI JAN 20 2012

...A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE GUADALUPE AND

DAVIS MOUNTAINS...SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO PLAINS...TRANS PECOS...VAN

HORN AND HIGHWAY 54 CORRIDOR...AND MUCH OF THE PERMIAN BASIN

FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR 20 FOOT WINDS OF 20 MPH OR GREATER...MINIMUM

HUMIDITIES OF 15 PERCENT OR LESS AND HIGH FIRE DANGER...

.NEAR RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES... VERY DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS

ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS MUCH OF WEST TEXAS AND

SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO. THESE CONDITIONS... ALONG WITH HIGH FIRE

DANGER WILL LIKELY RESULT IN CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS

ACROSS SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND A MOST OF WEST TEXAS. GUSTY WINDS

WILL BEGIN TO SUBSIDE ACROSS THE PLAINS BY THIS EVENING... BUT

MAY REMAIN ELEVATED OVER THE MOUNTAINS.

NMZ114-115-TXZ045>047-050>052-057>063-067>070-074-075-258-202200-

/O.CON.KMAF.FW.W.0003.120120T1800Z-120121T0000Z/

GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS NP/LINCOLN NF/LNZ-

SOUTHEAST PLAINS/BLM ROSWELL/LNZ-GAINES-DAWSON-BORDEN-ANDREWS-

MARTIN-HOWARD-VAN HORN AND HIGHWAY 54 CORRIDOR-

REEVES COUNTY AND UPPER TRANS PECOS-LOVING-WINKLER-ECTOR-MIDLAND-

GLASSCOCK-WARD-CRANE-UPTON-REAGAN-DAVIS/APACHE MOUNTAINS AREA-

PECOS-GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS-

405 AM CST FRI JAN 20 2012 /305 AM MST FRI JAN 20 2012/

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON CST /11 AM MST/

TODAY TO 6 PM CST /5 PM MST/ THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW

HUMIDITY FOR THE GUADALUPE AND DAVIS MOUNTAINS...THE VAN HORN AND

HIGHWAY 54 CORRIDOR...THE TRANS PECOS...AND MUCH OF THE PERMIAN

BASIN...

* WIND...WEST TO SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH A FEW GUSTS OVER

35 MPH.

* HUMIDITY...5 TO 10 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY.

OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

AVOID THE USE OF OPEN FLAMES OR ANY ACTIVITIES THAT MAY GENERATE

SPARKS. ACCIDENTAL IGNITIONS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO GROW

QUICKLY INTO DANGEROUS WIND DRIVEN WILDFIRES.