Overnight: Watching the radar in states to west
I’m not waiting up all night for this one. About all there is to do overnight, if you happen to be up, is watch the national radar … pull back a couple of notches on the bar in the upper left on the Radar / Futurecast on this blog, maybe scoot the map a little, and look for what’s happening in Tennessee and Kentucky. There is actually a dribble of showers from Memphis to southwest Kentucky as I type this very early on Friday morning. This area of showers should grow into a much larger and heavier patch of precipitation over western and central Kentucky and Tennessee overnight. That’s what is expected to head our way on Friday, arriving mid to late morning west of Interstate 77 and midday to early afternoon in the New River and Roanoke valleys — approximately.
Forecast guidance is actually a touch wetter in the evening, so widespread snowfall amounts of 1-3 inches across Southwest Virginia with some locally heavier amounts still seem to be on track. It will become a matter of “nowcasting” on the radar and short-range models Friday to see where any heavier bands or “snow holes” might line up as Friday continues.
I’ll plan to rejoin in the morning.
January 25, 2013 - 12:18 AM
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Your worst analysis ever. I know you’re tired, but you can’t cop out.
Radar not looking that good. As for the schools, I am glad I do not have to make that decision. Here in SW county, we have roads that are bad in good weather, much less snow. The road I live on is so steep that with an inch of snow on the road you will not get up it without 4wd or chains. I have to keep chains in my car for the snows where I am at work when it starts, because I will not get home most of the time without it. Our road is usually 2-3 days after an event getting plowed, which does not help. If you talk to some of the teachers around here, they usually say that is what snow days are for, the schedule is designed to handle it, so why not make it easy and just close if there are concerns.
Oh yes, it has blown up quite a bit.
The northern stream looks pretty good! Could this maybe give us a better chance of snow here in Central Virginia? Models had been showing a hole in our area for some reason, could you explain that? Im guessing the mountains screwing us again. Local METS are saying a couple inches up here, but no advisory has been issued.
Up watching radar this morning. It was 7 when I went to bed at 10:30 pm but now this morning it is 12. Warm up overnight?
Radar looking pretty good in Kentucky and Tennessee this morning but remembering what you folks said about virga.
Checking school closings next.
Quite a bit of green/blue/pink on radar in central KY and TN at sunrise. Just sayin…….
Was hoping the radar would light up a little more with a solid shield of precip instead its in bands. Maybe we could get 2 or 3 inches in a few areas with some mesoscale banding.
Looks about like it’s supposed to over there.
Some heavy echoes … don’t think you’ve got 6-10 inches in it, though, Mike, unless it slows down a bunch from all available guidance — and current radar trends. Could be some heavy snow for a while, though.
Rick: I’m not a storm team and don’t have 4 staff meteorologists and I had a hard night doing my “real job” at the paper that doesn’t involve weather. I can go to bed during a winter weather advisory.
New post soon.
Precipitation has made it as far as Lee and Scott Co in VA and Kingsport, TN. Reports of northern areas have snow and southern areas have sleet and freezing rain. Temperatures are around the mid twenties in TN and low twenties here in VA. We are to see 3-5 inches of snow maybe mixing with sleet. The Tri-Cities is predicting snow, sleet, freezing rain and then rain and temps going to 35 there. They say about of 1″ of snow there. We are definitely on the dividing line between ice and snow. Most all schools have already closed in our area. Will keep you all posted.
Looking at that futurecast, I see a sizeable snow hole mostly over where I live. Can they predict that accurately? I’m glad I don’t have to make school closing decisions either.
Right on, Kevin – thanks for all you do!
It amazes me the rude comments that people make on this blog. I check this blog everyday and have for years. Kevin- as always thanks for all that you do! We appreciate your hard work and dedication
Vicki, I would take your projected snow hole with a grain of salt at this time.
We are perfectly OK with Kevin getting sleep whenever he wants/needs it! We are just grateful for whatever time he does devote to this amazingly useful blog!
Taking the Future Cast very literally … my side of the Roanoke Valley gets 1-3 inches while the official stations at Roanoke Regional Airport and even NWS-Blacksburg get less than an inch — and there is a snow hole in Craig County.
Let’s give it a test to see how close it is, but I agree with David, take it as general guidance rather that specific projection. I find it often shifts hour to hour pretty widely sometimes.
New blog entry is posted. And the child is still asleep …
Kevin- even we rabid lurker/readers will post to defend you. Thanks for all the time and devotion you give to this enthralling blog. No room for mean people or comments here! I spend an inordinate amount of time reading the posts and comments- so much so that my hubby calls you my boyfriend – as in: what is your boyfriend saying about snow accumulations ?
Doppler Carol
Liked your comment last night about hearing the coyotes. I went out to get wood in at 8:30 p.m. and heard a pack of three of them howling. Got my wife out to hear them it scared her. She’d never heard them before. Just goes to show that the animals are definately in tune with nature.