Another freak major storm headed for Utah

[Col. Flagg]

Just a heads up for those living in Utah...

weather map w/storm highlights:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/FXC/wxstory2.php?wfo=slc&img=2

briefing:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/wxbriefing/ ... layer.html

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SALT LAKE CITY UT
534 AM MST MON DEC 27 2010

UTZ001>016-019>021-517-518-WYZ021-272300-
CACHE VALLEY/UTAH PORTION-NORTHERN WASATCH FRONT-
SALT LAKE AND TOOELE VALLEYS-SOUTHERN WASATCH FRONT-
GREAT SALT LAKE DESERT AND MOUNTAINS-WASATCH MOUNTAIN VALLEYS-
WASATCH MOUNTAINS I-80 NORTH-WASATCH MOUNTAINS SOUTH OF I-80-
WESTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS-WASATCH PLATEAU/BOOK CLIFFS-
WESTERN UINTA BASIN-CASTLE COUNTRY-SAN RAFAEL SWELL-
SANPETE/SEVIER VALLEYS-WEST CENTRAL UTAH-SOUTHWEST UTAH-
UTAHS DIXIE AND ZION NATIONAL PARK-SOUTH CENTRAL UTAH-
GLEN CANYON RECREATION AREA/LAKE POWELL-CENTRAL MOUNTAINS-
SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS-SOUTHWEST WYOMING-
534 AM MST MON DEC 27 2010

...PACIFIC STORM TO BRING SNOW AND MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES MIDWEEK...

A COLD AND ENERGETIC PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE
GREAT BASIN ON WEDNESDAY...AND LINGER THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE
WEEK. WIDESPREAD SNOWFALL WILL ACCOMPANY THIS SYSTEM ACROSS THE
MOUNTAINS AND WESTERN VALLEYS OF UTAH WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

THIS SNOWFALL WILL LIKELY CREATE SIGNIFICANT TRAVEL PROBLEMS
WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...ESPECIALLY ACROSS UTAHS
MOUNTAINS...SOUTHWEST WYOMING AND ACROSS THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN
VALLEYS OF UTAH INCLUDING THE I-80 AND I-15 CORRIDORS.

THE LEADING COLD FRONT WILL ARRIVE OVER NORTHERN UTAH ON
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...THEN SWEEP SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE REMAINDER
OF THE STATE BY LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP
AHEAD OF THIS FRONT WEDNESDAY MORNING...THEN BECOME HEAVY ALONG
AND BEHIND THE FRONT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL
ALSO BE POSSIBLE ALONG THIS FRONT. A MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS
WILL LINGER ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THURSDAY ALLOWING FOR
ADDITIONAL PERIODS OF SNOWFALL.

SNOWFALL WILL GRADUALLY TAPER OFF THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH REMAINING
ACCUMULATING SNOWS CONFINED TO THE MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT WESTERN
UTAH VALLEYS. SNOW SHOWERS WILL LINGER THROUGH FRIDAY...THEN
DISSIPATE NEW YEARS EVE.

MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES WILL FOLLOW THE FRONT AND AFFECT ALL OF
UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING THROUGH AT LEAST THE NEW YEARS HOLIDAY
WEEKEND. HIGH TEMPERATURES ACROSS MOST VALLEY LOCATIONS DURING
THIS TIME LOOK TO REMAIN IN THE TEENS...WITH LOW TEMPERATURES IN
THE SINGLE DIGITS TO BELOW ZERO. THE NORMALLY MILDER DIXIE REGION
WILL LIKELY ALSO SEE HIGH TEMPERATURES REMAIN BELOW
FREEZING...WITH LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE TEENS INTO THE WEEKEND.

[Col. Flagg]

The eastern part of the country is getting paralyzed by snow - in some places, 2-4 feet of it. Check out this picture from NY - it reminded me of a scene from the movie 'The Day After Tomorrow' - insane weather... once every 60 year event...

[buffalo_girl]

When we left for church yesterday morning we had a wonderful surprise for the first 5 1/2 miles from our front gate to the paved highway!

There has been quite a lot of light, fluffy snow here so far this winter. Christmas night the winds blew somewhat strongly, but consistently from the SE.

All along our route were thousands, and thousands of snowballs in the snow covered fields; white on white each with its little sunrise shadow. They had been formed by the steady SE wind gathering bits of snow into larger and larger balls as the rolled along atop the smooth surface of the packed snow beneath. Behind each snowball was a dot-dash trail where each ball had 'migrated' along its path.

Sadly, we didn't have a camera with us and by the time we returned from church 7 hours later wind coming from a slightly different direction covered them and their little paths.

It was a lovely, fun Christmas present from our Great Creator!

[Col. Flagg]

When we left for church yesterday morning we had a wonderful surprise for the first 5 1/2 miles from our front gate to the paved highway!

There has been quite a lot of light, fluffy snow here so far this winter. Christmas night the winds blew somewhat strongly, but consistently from the SE.

All along our route were thousands, and thousands of snowballs in the snow covered fields; white on white each with its little sunrise shadow. They had been formed by the steady SE wind gathering bits of snow into larger and larger balls as the rolled along atop the smooth surface of the packed snow beneath. Behind each snowball was a dot-dash trail where each ball had 'migrated' along its path.

Sadly, we didn't have a camera with us and by the time we returned from church 7 hours later wind coming from a slightly different direction covered them and their little paths.

It was a lovely, fun Christmas present from our Great Creator!

Awesome! I can relate a story like this BG - back in 1994, I drove down to Las Vegas from northern Utah to pick up my grandparents and bring them back as a surprise for my Mom & Dad for Christmas and the night before I left, we had a nice little snowstorm - the next day, I left around 6:00 AM and as I got to the area between Fillmore and Beaver, all of the small pine trees in the median were covered with snow and as the sun came up, when the light hit the trees, everything sparkled like a winter wonderland and was as though every tree had diamonds hanging from it - I had never seen anything like it and it was one of the most scenic surprises I've ever witnessed. I call situations like that 'God's masterpiece'.

[Songbird]

okay, so I have to tell you about the MOST beautiful day we had here in central Iowa...First let me say I have NEVER-ever seen a day like it. We awoke to "frozen fog" on the trees which is gorgeous by itself, but then mid-morning the clouds parted, but snow kept falling. These tiny little specks which floated in the air and caught by the sun sparkled brilliantly everywhere! It was like being inside a sparkly snow globe. It was truly a remarkable phenomena. It was "sparkly" all day until the clouds rolled back in. It was so amazing!

[buffalo_girl]

HO0RAY's!!!

for Sparkling Diamond Pines in the Median;

for Frozen Fog Sun Sparkles;

for Migrating Snowballs on the Prairie

anyone else?

[Col. Flagg]

HO0RAY's!!!

for Sparkling Diamond Pines in the Median;

for Frozen Fog Sun Sparkles;

for Migrating Snowballs on the Prairie

anyone else?

Oh yeah - can't leave out those orange/black clouds at sunset sometimes and the 'fire in the sky' look! I guess we can call this one 'sunset orange fire cloud'.

[buffalo_girl]

the clouds parted, but snow kept falling. These tiny little specks which floated in the air and caught by the sun sparkled brilliantly everywhere! It was like being inside a sparkly snow globe.

We have seen snow falling when the sun is shinning, but never anything as magic!

I have wondered if there is any such thing as 'snowbows' when conditions are like that. (I don't mean those 'sundog' rings of ice.)

[M249Gunner]

In a way I am happy about having a big storm, however I am also disappointed because I wanted to go catch some burbot at Flaming Gorge. Maybe after the storm. I have heard that burbot tastes like lobster.

Has anyone here caught burbot at Flaming Gorge?

[shadow]

I heard on the radio today that the valleys can expect 1-3 inches of the white stuff. Not much of a storm. I think meteorologists try to get attention at times.

[bobhenstra]

In a way I am happy about having a big storm, however I am also disappointed because I wanted to go catch some burbot at Flaming Gorge. Maybe after the storm. I have heard that burbot tastes like lobster.

Has anyone here caught burbot at Flaming Gorge?

Burbot does have a mild lobster taste. But the rainbows along the shore taste much better.

Hook up your line like this, using a small treble hook (18-22) on a leader about 2-4 feet long, the leader connected to a swivel, with a slip sinker above the swivel. Using Power Bait on the treble hook about the size of a small pea. Carefully cast out and set your reel, but leave the line loose. Watch the line slack on the water, when the fish take the bait you'll see the line moving, set the hook and have someone get the frying pan ready.

Burbot will take a small piece of worm on the same rig. Down right ugly fish! Take your fillet board and keep your knives sharp. Fishing can get really fast in a big hurry.

Bob

[Col. Flagg]

I heard on the radio today that the valleys can expect 1-3 inches of the white stuff. Not much of a storm. I think meteorologists try to get attention at times.

Not so my shadowy friend... they've upgraded their predicted snow amounts to a minimum of 4-10 inches almost anywhere in the entire state...

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/wxbriefing/ ... layer.html

[shadow]

Alright, so he's updated the forecast to include 4-10 inches on the valley floors. Still not a major storm IMO but we'll see

[Col. Flagg]

Alright, so he's updated the forecast to include 4-10 inches on the valley floors. Still not a major storm IMO but we'll see

I guarantee you will get more than 3 inches up there. My guess is Cache Valley gets anywhere from 8-12 inches. Have you seen the size of this baby? It stretches all the way from Alaska down to Oregon and also includes some very cold air which will enhance the snowfall (lows on Thursday/Friday expected to be zero or below zero).

[Col. Flagg]

Shadow - this major winter storm system has tapped into a plume of subtropical moisture that extends clear out to Hawaii - you guys could absolutely get buried up there in Cache Valley. If you do, don't worry - I'll come dig you out.

[Jason]

A tidbit on the North East -

The remarkable Post-Christmas blizzard of 2010 has ended for the United States, as the storm has trekked northeastward into Canada. The blizzard dropped epic amounts of snow during its rampage up the U.S. Northeast coast Sunday and Monday, with an incredible 32" falling in Rahway, New Jersey, about 15 miles southwest of New York City. The highest populated areas of New Jersey received over two feet of snow, including the Newark Airport, which received 24.1". Snowfall amounts were slightly lower across New York City. The blizzard of 2010 dumped 20.0" inches on New York City's Central Park, making it the 6th largest snowstorm for the city in recorded history, and the second top-ten snowstorm this year. Remarkably, New York City has had four of its top-ten snowfalls in the past decade (highlighted in the list below.) According to the National Weather Service, the top ten snowstorms on record for New York City's Central Park since 1869 should now read:

1) 26.9" Feb 11-12, 2006
2) 26.4" Dec 26-27, 1947
3) 21.0" Mar 12-14, 1888
4) 20.8" Feb 25-26, 2010
5) 20.2" Jan 7-8, 1996
6) 20.0" Dec 26-27, 2010
7) 19.8" Feb 16-17, 2003
8) 18.1" Mar 7-8, 1941
9) 17.7" Feb 5-7, 1978
10) 17.6" Feb 11-12, 1983

Newark's 24.2" was one of that city's top-ten snowstorms of all-time, and the 20.1" that fell on Atlantic City, NJ was the city's second largest snowfall in history. Atlantic City's three biggest snowstorms have all occurred in the past ten years:

1) 21.6" Feb 15-18, 2003
2) 20.1" Dec 26-27, 2010
3) 18.2" Feb 5-6, 2010

Philadelphia, PA picked up 12.4", the city's fourth one-foot plus snowstorm in just over a year--a remarkable string of storms, considering the city has had just 24 such snowfalls in history, since 1884. According to phillyweather.net, the latest snowstorm brought Philadelphia's 2010 snowfall for the calendar year to 67.3", breaking the mark for snowiest year ever (previous record: 57.0" in 1978.)

An unusual number of top-ten snowstorms for the Northeast in recent years
The Northeast has seen an inordinate number of top-ten snowstorms in the past ten years, raising the question of whether this is due to random chance or a change in the climate. A study by Houston and Changnon (2009) on the top ten heaviest snows on record for each of 121 major U.S. cities showed no upward or downward trend in these very heaviest snowstorms during the period 1948 - 2001. It would be interesting to see if they repeated their study using data from the past decade if the answer would change. As I stated in my blog post, The United States of Snow in February, bigger snowstorms are not an indication that global warming is not occurring. The old adage, "it's too cold to snow", has some truth to it, and there is research supporting the idea that the average climate in the U.S. is colder than optimal to support the heaviest snowstorms. For example, Changnon et al. (2006) found that for the contiguous U.S. between 1900 - 2001, 61% - 80% of all heavy snowstorms of 6+ inches occurred during winters with above normal temperatures. The authors also found that 61% - 85% of all heavy snowstorms of 6+ inches occurred during winters that were wetter than average. The authors conclude, "a future with wetter and warmer winters, which is one outcome expected (National Assessment Synthesis Team 2001), will bring more heavy snowstorms of 6+ inches than in 1901 - 2000." The authors found that over the U.S. as a whole, there had been a slight but significant increase in heavy snowstorms of 6+ inches than in 1901 - 2000. If the climate continues to warm, we should expect an increase in heavy snow events for a few decades, until the climate grows so warm that we pass the point where winter temperatures are at the optimum for heavy snow events.

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMa ... rynum=1717


Record breakers mean $$$$$ out of pocket!!!

[shadow]

Shadow - this major winter storm system has tapped into a plume of subtropical moisture that extends clear out to Hawaii - you guys could absolutely get buried up there in Cache Valley. If you do, don't worry - I'll come dig you out.

I'll be sure to leave my shovel inside just in case I need to tunnel out 8)

[Col. Flagg]

Shadow - this major winter storm system has tapped into a plume of subtropical moisture that extends clear out to Hawaii - you guys could absolutely get buried up there in Cache Valley. If you do, don't worry - I'll come dig you out.

I'll be sure to leave my shovel inside just in case I need to tunnel out 8)

Good idea - the dog has to get out somehow to do his business, right?

[shadow]

I'll be sure to leave my shovel inside just in case I need to tunnel out 8)

Good idea - the dog has to get out somehow to do his business, right?

You callin me a dog??
Not to worry Col., so far this storm has been a dud. I can still see some grass in my back yard, and I live on one of those benches that was supposed to get a few more inches. Oh well, I hear the storm isn't over yet I'm too embarrassed to go into my garage and look at my gassed up snow blower just sitting there. I gave him the big pep talk last night and now he's been sidelined.

[Col. Flagg]

I'll be sure to leave my shovel inside just in case I need to tunnel out 8)

Good idea - the dog has to get out somehow to do his business, right?

You callin me a dog??

Me... no... never... just sayin'... if you have a pet, they gotta get out somehow to do their duty, right? If I were to call you an animal, you'd be more like an eagle - always out there soaring with that watchful eye.

Not to worry Col., so far this storm has been a dud. I can still see some grass in my back yard, and I live on one of those benches that was supposed to get a few more inches. Oh well, I hear the storm isn't over yet I'm too embarrassed to go into my garage and look at my gassed up snow blower just sitting there. I gave him the big pep talk last night and now he's been sidelined.

Don't worry - the fun isn't supposed to begin until after 1:00 for you guys - 5:00 for us apparently. Once the front moves in, look out. It's anticipated to have what is called 'frontogenesis' with it, which is a front that basically has its own power supply (so to speak). Couple that with very cold temperatures, a plume of subtropical moisture over the state at +2 standard deviations and we're in for some serious snowfall.

[buffalo_girl]

It's 5 PM here and the sky is that flat grey which heralds snow. It's really calm, too. Last time it was calm like this we had a real rip-roaring blizzard.

Who knows though? I also heard the tankers patrolling above the clouds.

[tsc]

Please send any extra, or unwanted snow down to Texas. We are in the middle of another drought.

In 2009 we were having a horrible drought, but after a stake fast, that was done under the leadership of our Stake President, the rains came quick and hard. Before the end of the year the drought was pretty much over if I recall correctly.

Unfortunately we are back in the same situation, but we did receive a little rain this week.

Whether you receive 1 inch or 12, be grateful, and keep those snow shovels sharp.

[kathyn]

The snow is flying fast and furious right now in our area of the Salt Lake Valley. And it's coldddddd....

[sbsion]

10 inches this morning and the front won't come through until late afternoon........send it back

[Col. Flagg]

10 inches this morning and the front won't come through until late afternoon........send it back

I guess you guys down in Ephraim could all go outside and blow north?