Good afternoon, everyone. A weak system is dropping in from the northwest today and it’s bringing some light precipitation. The main show continues to be a two-tiered system arriving just in time for Christmas. That’s an arctic front with a wave of low pressure along it and an upper level low spinning in behind that. Both are likely to bring some snow to the region.
Let’s kick things off with your radars to follow today’s action as gusty winds continue…
Let’s rehash my thoughts on the arctic front snow potential…
- Temps on Wednesday surge into the 50s with showers rolling in during the late afternoon and evening.
- Winds gusting in excess of 40mph are a good bet along the front, so those Christmas decorations may get a workout.
- As the front slams in, temps drop quickly into the 20s behind it and may very well cause a quick little freeze up.
- At the same time, a band of snow is likely behind the front. This looks to increase in coverage and intensity the farther east it gets.
- How much snow this produces at any one location depends on how fast this band is moving.
Let me focus on who has the best potential to put snow on the ground just from this setup…
This is a rough estimate, but gives a pretty good idea of how this plays out behind this system. How much depends on where you live. The farther west, the lighter the amounts. The farther east, the better the shot for a few-several inches of snow. The area in red may well be upgraded to a WST at some point.
Once that goes through, the upper level low will then dive in with light snow and bursts of heavier snow trying to develop Christmas Eve into Christmas Day. With frigid air in place, we would see the potential for more in the way of accumulations area-wide.
A quick check of the models shows the Canadian Model catching up to what the GFS has been cooking for a while…
Short Range Canadian through 7pm Christmas Eve…
Canadian through the entire event…
Here’s the GFS…
Here’s the snow map from the GFS Ensembles using a 10-1 ratio…
Again, all those maps show what that particular model thinks will fall total. Snowfall maps do not equate snow depth.
I will have the very latest on WKYT starting at 4pm then again on KWC later this evening. Have a good one and take care.
Nothing more depressing than snowless cold air.
But, I am happy for the 40% percent that will have an opportunity for a white Christmas.
And those depressing heating bills later.
10% chance or less for snow showers for my county as it stands now.
This is to be expected.
hey bailey glad u in this evening, here the song of the day if you like post it. DREAM ON by areosmith.
Here you go Rolo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89dGC8de0CA
Hi Chris….I am new to the board, although I have read your blog for years. I still miss you on WSAZ out of Huntington.
This question is off topic, and if you don’t take questions on this forum…I understand.
My question takes you back to the 93 Superstorm.
When did that storm “triple phase”, or did it at all. I know it blew up in the Gulf….but I have always thought that when a winter system “ phases” it starts to retrograde….the track of that storm was NE out of the Gulf to the Western part of NC. Just a “weather weenie” with a Meteorological question.
I have a question too about that snowstorm/blizzard of 1993. Did Taylor county in central Kentucky have much accumulation of snow from that storm ?
I was not living in Kentucky at that time in my life.
Anyone know the answer, maybe Debbie ?
I doubt it. Louisville only received a dusting.
It was another East of I-75 event.
I’ve heard about it, but I think it was mostly an E. KY storm. The only snow(to speak of in our general locale) in ’93 was about half an inch of snow on Halloween. I remember thinking that it was earliest snow I’d seen up til then(I’d just turned 31), and the kids all being bundled and I think they were more enthralled with the snow than they were about getting candy! 🙂
To bad this system does not have a Neg tilt.
Thanks, I was in Indiana at that time and we had a real boring Winter in 1992-93.
Thank Chris, for showing the Christmas Star on your broadcast at 6:00. Surely a rare and beautiful site.
I’m hoping the snow line moves further west so my county can get in on the snow action ?
Schroeder always enjoy your posts hope you’re right. But looking at Chris’s snowfall potential map I have to say RIP snow WKY. Doesn’t look promising.