FOUS11 KWBC 161953
QPFHSD
Probabilistic Heavy Snow and Icing Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
253 PM EST Mon Dec 16 2024
Valid 00Z Tue Dec 17 2024 - 00Z Fri Dec 20 2024
...Pacific Northwest through the Northern Rockies...
Days 1-3...
20Z Update: Current forecast remains on track across the Western
CONUS with increasing snowfall coverage expanding towards the
interior west as modest jet coupling with the approach of the next
Pacific jet will punch through the PAC NW with the nose of the jet
likely encroaching the Tetons late this evening. Strong mid-level
diffluence and correlated positive vorticity advection in
association with the shortwave trough ejection correlate highly to
an enhanced region of ascent focused downstream of the Cascades
with the best opportunity for significant snowfall likely over the
Tetons and adjacent terrain. Previous WPC probs of 70-90+% for >8"
still have merit with little deviation from the previous forecast
as run-to-run continuity remains high suggesting a positive
handling by the current NWP suite of the evolving mid and longwave
pattern west of the Rockies.
Kleebauer
..Previous Discussion..
An active period of weather continues across the West as a trough
persists offshore shedding impulses and accompanying IVT onto the
coast. Despite this, the general trends will be for bulging
thicknesses across the West with increasingly quiet weather
forecast through the period.
On D1, a strung out vorticity lobe accompanying a shortwave trough
will lift northeast towards the WA coast, driving a frontal system
eastward towards the shore. As this feature moves to the east, it
will weaken and elongate, but still push increasing moisture into
the region within confluent mid-level flow. The highest
accompanying IVT will move across CA and into the Great Basin, but
a broader surge of elevated PWs will shift into most of the Pacific
and interior Northwest, resulting in a shield of precipitation
lifting across the area. Snow levels west of the Cascade crest will
rise to around 4000 ft, but remain much lower to the east,
especially across interior WA state at just 1500-2500 ft, but then
rise again to around 3000 ft in the Northern Rockies. Where the
best overlap of synoptic lift (through height falls, downstream
divergence, and upper level diffluence) and upslope flow combine,
likely in the Shasta/Siskiyou region, the OR Cascades, and as far
east as the Salmon Rivers and Tetons. In these ranges and above the aforementioned snow levels, WPC probabilities D1 for more than 8
inches are generally 70-90%, with locally as much as 2 feet
possible.
As this first wave sheds inland, it will be quickly followed by
another, more impressive surge of IVT (GEFS and ECENS probabilities
for >500 kg/m/s as high as 80%). This secondary plume will traverse
more quickly north as a low-level trough axis and following warm-
front extending from another approaching shortwave pushes from
northern CA into WA state. This surge will drive snow levels
rapidly upward, reaching as high as 8000 ft by the end of D2 west
of the Cascades, but even 5000-7000 ft as far east as the northern
Rockies and the Great Basin. This will cause a rapid decrease in
snow coverage while SLRs also fall to become much heavier (also
reflected by increasing snow load probabilities in the WSSI-P). WPC probabilities D2 are highest in the WA Cascades and Northern
Rockies where they reach 70-90% for an additional 6+ inches, with
lighter additional accumulations expected across the Salmon Rivers,
Sawtooth, and Tetons.
During D3 most of the ascent and accompanying moisture shifts
eastward into the High Plains, bringing a brief reprieve to
snowfall in the Northwest. However, early in the period /Wednesday
morning/ some light snow is likely in the higher terrain of the WA
Cascades, Okanogan Highlands, and Northern Rockies, where WPC
probabilities are moderate (50-70%) for 4+ inches of additional
snowfall. Potentially more problematic early D3 will be the threat
of some freezing rain along and east of the Cascades, including
some of the passes. The deterministic icing amounts from the
guidance are quite low, as are WPC probabilities for even 0.01
inches of ice (just 10-30%), but any light icing could be
problematic for the Wednesday morning commute.
Weiss
...Northern Plains into the Upper Midwest...
Day 2...
20Z Update: Current synoptic forecast remains steady within the
latest suite of NWP as a strong mid-level shortwave ejects into the North-Central Plains with increasing 850-700mb FGEN focused within
a skinny axis aligned northwest to southeast across central and
eastern SD into southwestern MN as we approach the end of the D2
cycle. The latest update brought up snowfall totals a bit to match
the trends of the latest QPF output from much of the deterministic
suite, as well as modest increases in the latest NBM 50th-90th
percentile for snowfall. Local bufr soundings across eastern SD
signal appreciable omega located within a marginally deep center of
DGZ with the primary time frame of interest aligning between 18-03z
during the period. A small increase in the WPC probs for >2" were
reflected in the previous forecast below with now a prob max of 80%
now forecast based off the latest forecast issuance. To add more
relevance to the setup, recent CIPS analogs for the period were
referencing high correlations to multiple events of similar
stature, most of which ended up with final results showing bands of
4-6" during past evolutions. This lends credence to the potential
for locally higher totals >4" if everything aligns within the
overlapping FGEN signatures being progged.
Kleebauer
..Previous Discussion..
A modest mid-level impulse will traverse southeast from the
Northern Rockies to the Western Great Lakes Tuesday, producing
sharp but temporally short height falls, combined with increasing
LFQ diffluence as a jet streak pivots across the region. The trends
in the guidance have been for this jet streak to be more intense
and more strongly poleward arcing, while also being a bit
displaced to the south. Although moisture downstream of this
shortwave will be modest, it will likely be effectively wrung out
as fgen intensifies directly into the deepening DGZ, supporting
snowfall rates in a narrow channel that may exceed 1"/hr. The
system is progressive, but the briefly heavy snow should cause some
moderate accumulations and modest impacts. WPC probabilities are
currently less than 10% for 4+ inches (but 50-80% for 2+ inches),
but it is possible some higher snowfall will occur with this band.
Weiss
...Northeast & Eastern Great Lakes...
Day 3...
20Z Update: Model spread has lessened compared to the previous
forecast issuance, however some differences within the low
positioning and overall 500mb evolution still maintain some
questions on the anticipated magnitude of snowfall potential across
the interior Northeast. Latest WPC probability fields for >4" and
6" have not wavered much compared to the previous forecast with
the general probability maxima tied to the higher elevations of the Adirondacks, the Green and White Mountains of VT/NH, and Western
ME. Until spread decreases, the forecast remains of medium
confidence in the total expected output, but confidence on the
location of higher snowfall relegated to the interior still remains
high due to the anticipated thermal structure situated across New
England.
Kleebauer
..Previous Discussion..
Guidance starting to converge on a solution which will bring a
progressive but impactful winter storm to the interior Northeast
Wednesday night and Thursday. Dual shortwaves, one lifting out of
the Missouri Valley Wednesday, and a second northern stream impulse
diving across the Great Lakes may interact or phase near 12Z
Thursday (end of D3) over Upstate New York. This will occur along
an eastward racing cold front, with downstream and intensifying
warm advection spreading moisture northward as an expanding
precipitation shield from the eastern OH VLY into New England.
It appears through the OH VLY and Mid-Atlantic, most of the
precipitation will be rain as the column dries before cold air can
catch the moisture.
However, across interior PA, NY, and northern New England, the
risk for heavy snow is increasing as the two shortwaves phase and
produce secondary cyclogenesis off the coast. At this time there
continues to be considerable timing and spatial spread of this
secondary low, leading to wide fluctuations in snowfall potential.
However, the setup should result in a pronounced band of heavy snow
through WAA/Fgen, resulting in an axis of heavy accumulations.
Where this is going to occur, and with what intensity, remains very
uncertain as reflected by DESI LREF plumes and very low WSSI-P
probabilities for moderate impacts. However, current WPC
probabilities have increased, and feature a 50-70% chance of at
least 4 inches of snow, greatest across the high terrain of the
Adirondacks, Greens, and Whites.
Weiss
...Northern Plains...
Day 3...
20Z Update: The overall synoptic evolution for the D3 setup across
the Northern Plains remains steady within the latest 12z model
consensus. Prospects for a heavy snowfall across north-central ND
through eastern ND into MN are increasing as run- to-run
variability has wavered little with better consensus on the axis of
impressive sfc-700mb FGEN anticipated with the approach of the
vigorous northern stream shortwave. Latest percentiles for >4" of
snowfall were updated below to include now 80% for subsequent
moderate accumulations with individual deterministic output now
pushing 10+" portions of the Upper Midwest extending over the areas
above. This threat bears monitoring for locally significant
headlines if the current trend continues.
Kleebauer
..Previous Discussion..
Zonal flow across Western Canada will become suppressed in response
to a sharpening shortwave which will amplify as it digs east of the
Northern Rockies and reaches the Dakotas before the end of the
forecast period. This shortwave is progged to remain progressive,
but should deepen substantially and will work in tandem with a
digging jet streak to drive pronounced ascent Wednesday night into
eastern MT and the Dakotas. This synoptic lift moving atop a
baroclinic gradient along a weak front will help launch
cyclogenesis, and a strong clipper type low is likely to dive into
the region D3. Impressive WAA downstream of this feature will help
deepen the DGZ (SREF probabilities for > 50mb of depth increase to
70%), which should work together with the ageostrophic response to
the jet streak to produce a band of impressive fgen. The column is
quite cold at this time and the best fgen may reside above the
DGZ, but a band of heavy snow is becoming more likely Wednesday
night. A lot of details will still need to be ironed out, but
current WPC probabilities are moderate (50-80%) for 4+ inches of
snow across northern ND, with additional moderate to heavy snow
likely to continue downstream through D4.
Weiss
$$
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