Comments on: 60 degrees possible Wednesday — don’t get used to it

By: Nick in the Ellett Valley

Nick in the Ellett Valley — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 14:56:01 +0000

It was actually Dec 18-19 (Snowmageddon) that made me aware of this blog. I always read the articles but never knew about this. The storms on Jan 29-30 and Feb 6-7 officially cemented my excitement for this blog and ever since I read most posts and often comment. So, aside from the plenitude of snow we received that year, I also have to thank that winter for my familiarity with this blog.

By: wdbrand[rke co-1827']

wdbrand[rke co-1827'] — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:03:03 +0000

Mike, in cold weather and a snow event, that’s normally is what happens, Higher is more. In calm weather, cold air settles and any warm air tends to rise. That’s why I’m above the frostline.

By: Mike from Marshall

Mike from Marshall — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 23:30:03 +0000

Kevin thanks for the info that makes since.I think i understand your point.That happens up here in Northern Va also.A lot of mornings it will be colder in Manassas than Marshall.Because the reading is coming from Manassas Airport and the elavation is only around 200 feet.But here in Marsahll the elavation is 700 feet.So if i understand correctly the temp drops quicker at the lower elavations on calm nights.But when we have snowstorms in Marshall its always worse than in Manassas as were higher up in elavation and closer to the Blue Ridge Mountains.Most of the time we can have 6-12 inches of snow and Manassas will be all rain or just a couple of inches of snow.Anyway sorry for the long post.

By: wdbrand[rke co-1827']

wdbrand[rke co-1827'] — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 23:29:43 +0000

That’s what happened here on da Knob Kevin. S, SW winds kicked in [up in the 20+ mile range] around 6 AM and the temp went up around 3*. Like I said earlier, lower winds than the valley but a rise in temp.

By: Kevin Myatt

Kevin Myatt — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:50:52 +0000

Interesting observation, Mike. Actually, Danville is sometimes colder than Roanoke in true radiational cooling situations — and that played a role here. Danville had calm winds for several hours in the early morning, so its radiational cooling was pretty strong. Roanoke dipped as low as 42 with light winds in the early morning, until the low-level jet I mentioned in comment 16 hit. Those gusts over 30 mph likely mixed somewhat milder air aloft down to the surface, corrupting whatever radiational cooling was occurring, and also created a downslope effect that warmed the temperatures.

By: Mike from Marshall

Mike from Marshall — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:44:03 +0000

Kevin I was checking the 8 A.M.temps around Virginia and saw that Danville was 29 but Roanoke was 51 how in the world is that possible as Roanoke is always colder than Danville.Also it was clear skys at both locations.Help me out please!

By: John from Ruckersville

John from Ruckersville — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:35:45 +0000

Amazing photo. That’s a lot of condensation nuclei flying around.

By: Kevin Myatt

Kevin Myatt — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:18:01 +0000

Speaking of strong winds behind the front, drought, and the aviation interests of Quagmire/Joe, check out this aerial shot of the dust storm at Lubbock, Texas, today.

http://twitpic.com/bnfw2h

By: John from Ruckersville

John from Ruckersville — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:06:19 +0000

Doug, the BK is at the intersection of Rt 29 and Rt 33. A lot of traffic goes past that area on a daily basis. Therefore all of her citizens(especially the local business owners) want a big snow ASAP so as to appease the Greene County Bumble.

Sorry,, back to your regularly scheduled weather blog.

By: Doug Griggs, SW Roanoke County (1420 elev)

Doug Griggs, SW Roanoke County (1420 elev) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:04:00 +0000

KP, if you are still reading stuff here, THANKS VERY MUCH for your article and posting a link to the snowfall totals around the metro DC area (and a lot further than that). I was able to identify that where I used to live (from 1984-1997) in the Fort Hunt area of Alexandria (actually in extreme eastern Fairfax County) actually got a couple of inches MORE than what I got here in SW ROA County. 20.5 there, 18 here. But the impact on driving was I am sure MUCH WORSE here, because of all our steep and curvy roads in this area compared to eastern Fairfax.