Record wet January; more cold, snow on Saturday
First, a few climatic notes, as we’ve put January in the books with a very dramatic week of weather.
* It was the wettest January on record at Blacksburg with 7.74 inches of rain, topping the 7.41-inch mark of the extreme El Nino-soaked January in 1998. Blacksburg’s records date to 1952.
* It was the fifth wettest January on record at Roanoke with 7.21 inches. January 2013 joins the Januarys of 1998, 1936, 1937 and 1995 as the only ones to top 7 inches of rain. Roanoke’s records date to 1912.
* It was also Blacksburg’s eighth warmest January, averaging 35.9 degrees, dating to 1952. January 2013 was 0.3 degree warmer, on average, than that of last winter.
* January was not in the top 10 warmest for Roanoke, dating to 1912, though it was 5.1 degrees above normal at 41.7 degrees. December and January, together, have averaged 43.2 degrees, which is exactly where last winter ended up, finishing as second warmest on record. If February is a few degrees warmer than normal, this winter will incredibly have a shot to edge out the last one for second warmest. 1931-32′s 46.5-degree average for winter appears to be safe as the warmest winter.
VERY COLD SATURDAY MORNING
Tonight will not help February toward a warm average. In fact, Saturday may be the coldest morning we’ve seen this winter, or even a couple of winters, as clear skies, diminishing winds and low dew points may allow radiational cooling to set in, especially anywhere that retained snow cover from this morning’s quick-hitting Alberta clipper. Lows in the single digits may occur west of Roanoke, and the 10-15 range looks reasonable for Roanoke and east. Roanoke’s lowest temperature of the season so far has been 17, so it won’t take much to beat that (and yes, that means I did miss on my prediction a few weeks ago that Roanoke would hit both 70 and 10 in January, as we hit 70 three times but never even close to as low as 10. Would feel a little redeemed if we got close to 10 on Feb. 2.) I say MAY because the hard-to-predict factor is how much cloud cover moves in before dawn ahead of the next Alberta clipper storm system. If the clouds move in early, radiational cooling will be hindered or halted altogether, and temperatures could even nudge upward a few degrees (many commenters have noted this has happened on several nights recently, for one reason or another.)
ALBERTA CLIPPER NO. 2 SPREADS SNOW SATURDAY EVENING
Alberta clipper No. 2 dives southeast in our general direction late Saturday afternoon into the evening. Many indications are that this one will be a little bit stronger and more moist than the one that brushed us Friday morning with a dusting to 2 inches, but it too will be hitting the same dry air/downslope wall as it crests the spine of the Appalachians. Snowfall amounts will drop off rapidly from west to east across our region, with 2-4 inches possible in the counties close to the West Virginia border and west of I-77, 1-2 inches in much of the New River Valley, and an inch or less for the Roanoke Valley and points eastward, eventually dying out into just flurries in the Piedmont and Southside. It is always possible with a clipper that a narrow band of heavier snow will develop eastward that could boost totals locally — snow can be impressively heavy for a while if you happen to be in one of these bands. Upslope northwesterly flow behind the clipper will keep the snow going well into Sunday in West Virginia’s mountains, bleeding into western Virginia at times. It appears we will be on track for the third in the trilogy of clippers by late Monday or early Tuesday.
February 1, 2013 - 6:37 PM
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Thanks Kevin on Home Place travel Saturday. We may end up taking I81. Not sure what is worse, snowy, curvy Catawba Road that can make passengers green or I81 with trucks.
Already down to 13 up here on Doppler Ridge. So glad that someone turned the wind off!
Shameless plug for Bayou Lucy’s, tonight was our second time there and it was great. If you get too cold, there is nothing like some good Louisana food to warm you up. And to top it off, I got to meet Kevin himself.
Very cold today,mid 20`s for a high.Now down to 15.Stay warm everyone.
Great to meet you, Trevar. It was my first time there. This Arkansas boy still digs catfish and crawdads and Mississippi Delta food like that. Good dinner break from the office for me.
12º here and it was still clear when I went out and looked at 10:00. Very still except for the coyotes howling. Sky is very clear making for a good night to star gaze but I froze out pretty quickly.
If we still had snow cover the temp would really fall fast.
Temp is dropping like a rock here, too. Supposed to fall all the way to 29 in this inland location, 34 at Hilton Head. I think I packed a scraper …. will find out in the morning if I have it. I may just dawdle here until 11 AM checkout and then drive to somewhere in NC, like Greensboro. Ain’t gonna drive home in a snowfall. The car has “acclimated” to Florida weather, too! :>) :>) KM, you still at RT? How does Sunday’s midday weather look up there?
Trevar and “Wizard,” where is Bayou Lucy’s? Downtown ROA? I will manage to avoid it …. spicy food and my stomach have a huge argument every time, and I am the “biggest loser.”
Down to 9* her in Woodlawn,nary a breeze is stirring. Could see a few degree s colder as morning approaches…had an email exchange with Quags while he was in Tahoe,but not since last weekend..oh where oh where can he be??
9 degrees and there is a fair amount of snow cover around here. Chucking wood, chucking wood.
There may be some snow showers lingering until midday Sunday, Doug. You’ll see fewer using the US220 route to Roanoke than you would doing I-77/I-81. Otherwise, partly cloudy, breezy and cold.
Quagmire is on Twitter. Just got this.
@quagmirewx QWC off line due to external viral attack/hack job. Will advise when QWC is back up & safe to use.
email & twitter still work. &*%*$@*& hackers
Many have inquired about you, Quags.
I’d say we’re overdue for an overperforming clipper. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen one of those. Let’s hope the second part of this trilogy is more Empire Strikes Back than Attack of the Clones.
Already down to 3 at Ingalls Field above Hot Springs. Looks like subzero readings there tonight. Pretty sure Brian at Snowshoe will be checking in with a subzero number tomorrow morning before the next round of snow gets going.
Yep, chucking wood too. 10 F outside – clear, calm and the moon is just starting to come up.
clarkdocvet – the wind chill in Minneapolis today was “-23″. Looked earlier this evening on the traffic cams up there and they were getting snow.
Last overperforming Alberta clipper I remember for Roanoke was Feb. 6, 2007, Brandon. 1-2-inch forecast turned into 3-5 inches across the northern half of the Roanoke Valley.
Hot Springs at 3 is one degree colder than Green bay right now. I would venture to say this will be the coldest night in several winters for our area.
Remember that one well Kevin. That was back when the NWS still used Heavy Snow Warnings. If I remember correctly, they upgraded us from an advisory about halfway through the event.
Temp down to 12 in the Chapel. Clear and cold. Like Johnny said good for star gazing if you bundle up enough. Roads around here still have ice and snow on shady spots. Only melted where the sun hit. Expect it to be cloudy by morning and may warm up a degree or two once the clouds arrive. Enjoy blizzard #2 for this week. Maybe this one will give us more than an inch.
-3 on the Subaru thermometer at 8:30 when we got to Snowshoe tonight! Winds were fairly calm for up here!
13.5*.
Kevin- Any best guess you can offer of when we start seeing the snow arrive from the clipper today?
Where’s our resident road temp measuring man when we need him? Short of getting his readings, I’ll make my own per-dictions. If 9 flakes fall, 10 will stick. 13.3*.
Cold morning here 10 was the low.At least it will be sunny most of the day.Might get a little light snow tonight.
Temp only got down to 10 in Blacksburg this morning, with a low of 3 forecasted. Also, note that Fred’s at Beech Mtn is 22 this morning – not a good sign for snow lovers, when the temps at 5,000′ are 12 degrees HIGHER than the temps at 2,000′. I think we may be in for a rainy surprise this afternoon/evening. Temps may be too warm to support snow. Also of note, the WWA for Montgomery County is in effect for a whopping 33 consecutive hours (10am Sat – 7pm Sun) – not a chance! Haven’t we learned that even when it does snow, it only does so for 5 hours or less?
The low for me was 10º.
9 here this morning with a winter weather advisory. Forecast is 2-4″.
Sunny, clear and cold this morning. Temps were 8 earlier this morning. Looking at radar heading this way. So what do you think Kevin? Only an inch or so out of it?
For all of you weather bloggers – Happy Groundhog’s Day!
I live 2 miles from Check (Floyd Co.) and have kept daily percipitation records with an accurate (Wind and Weather “professional rain gauge”) for the past 17 years. My Jauary total was 10.98 inches of much needed rain,second only to September 2004 (16.12 inches). Your column is an important part of my life……Thanks!
Thermometer said it was 7.5* here in our little valley.
Question: How has or how do you think, Kevin, the recent rains will help in the Mountain Lake basin in Giles?
To what degree will it help increase the inflow to the lake vs. the outflow through the hole that we’ve been experiencing over the past few years? PS always always enjoy reading your blog and seeing posts from other enthusiasts.
I don’t think the clipper is going to have enough of a Gulf connection to pull in sufficient warm air for rain. Some chance surface temps warm into the mid-upper 30s Roanoke and east for a brief spell of rain/snow mix, but it would likely be brief. Morning balloon sounding from Blacksburg shows extremely dry air in the bottom mile or so of the atmosphere (-30C dew points), which will eat some of the snow as often occurs with clippers, but also mean that evaporational cooling will just about ensure snow. Clippers work by “warm” air advection into extremely cold air, so some temperature rise is always a part of how they produce snow. It’s the one time we can get snow on a south wind.
As seems typical, the clipper appears to be farther east than expected this morning, so arrival time may be earlier. Already some echoes southwest of Wytheville. Some light snow west of Roanoke by mid-afternoon would seem to be possible.
LoveNRV: I’m sure it will increase the level of Mountain Lake, but form what I understand, it would take many months of above-normal precipitation to get it anywhere close to looking like a lake again. The last 15 years or so have mostly been alternate years of unusually dry and unusually wet weathers, with dry years outnumbering wet years about 2:1, including a couple of extraordinarily dry years. If this January becomes a pattern for several future months, we may see a true Mountain LAKE again.
The weather service is noting this as a mutliple clippers tonight and early Sunday, with different pieces of energy. I’ll stick to calling it a single clipper in multiple parts. Semantics.
Some great and funny news from me this morning. It got down to 24* here, but there is no frost anywhere. Guess there was a tiny breeze?
I am surprised that apparently no one has mentioned it, but the most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, got awakened from his early AM slumber, came out, and DID NOT see his shadow. Which means (supposedly) that we will be having an early spring. Some of the TWC folks were teasing Jim Cantore, who is at Punxsutawney right now, that the groundhog had seen Cantore’s outlook that March will be a warm one for most of the USA (they claimed it; I have not seen that) and took that into consideration.
Town officials are denying rumors that P. Phil has been seen a few times using deer antler spray. Those rumors may be true, because P Phil made his prediction in something like 5* temperature.
Interesting for Tuesday — Euro model has a low along the Gulf coast connecting with tne next clipper-like system from the Great Lakes to Ohio Valley. That could introduce more moisture than we’ve been seeing with these clippers. Also may bring in a bit more milder air, though taken literally, this looks cold enough for snow in our region.
http://raleighwx.americanwx.com/models/euro/00zeuro850mbTSLPUS096.gif
Phil and Larry Cosgrove are now in agreement.
I have other evidence, possibly more reliable, that there will be an early spring. I talked with three different snowbird couples (FYI, in case any of you have not heard that word, it refers to folks from the North who migrate to Florida in either late autumn or early winter and return north in spring) just this morning who are returning to inland PA and upstate NY now. Some northerners who tough out the winter claim that is a much more reliable sign of spring than seeing the first robin. And judging from the back-and-forth here a few days ago about how robins have not been migrating south (or at least as far south) in recent years, that may be true. :>)
Still one more comment from blabber-mou ….. er, blabberfingers. Just saw TWC’s outlook for the coming week, and they are definitely NOT on board for a weekend snow event up there Feb 7-8. They are “outlooking” above normal temps for all of Virginia for both Thursday and Friday. Of course, that is a weather eternity …. and SW Virginia could get its biggest snowfall of the season.
KM-are you suggesting there is a “chance” for a significant Gulf Coast Low (ie. Miller A) for Tuesday? Also, thanks for the info on the possible warming today, and how it should not contribute to a rain vs. snow scenario.
Thanks for the update on the timing of this clipper Kevin. I was just looking at the radar and was going to come ask if this was going to come in earlier than forecast (NWS said 3pm or later). Taking into account the dry air eating at the eastern edge of it I’m going to guess 1-2PM instead of 3? But I am a total weather amateur so I might be completely off base!
Blacksburg Mike…I get a giggle every time I read one of your mini rants about our brief snowfall times. I’m right with you! Wouldn’t it be amazing if it snowed for 33 consecutive hours?! (OK..I know not everyone is with me, but I think few might be)
One more weather-related anecdote. I was at a motel desk late yesterday afternoon, and a fellow from Quebec was surprised at how cold it had been further north in the US yesterday (or Thursday?) morning, minus 10 degrees!! The clerk and I were both pretty shocked, so I asked the Quebecker in what state that happened? He replied, “North Carolina.” I thought about it for a second, then confided to the shocked desk clerk, “What he calls -10 and what you and I call -10 are two different things.” Sure enough, the Canadian fellow has a car thermometer that registers temps in degrees Celsius/Centigrade. Minus 10* C is +14* F.
Looks more like a possible overrunning setup, Mike. The risk though is that too much mild air gets pulled north and we get ice, mix or rain. Temperatures will definitely be more marginal than they are now.
I would lean to milder and rain for late next week, too. Could be different if cold-air damming/wedging develops stronger than most models show.
Pattern ahead doesn’t suggest runaway warming like we saw this past week,but may lean milder than normal for some period of time after this Arctic air push erodes. How long is a subject of conjecture and conflicting long-range signals.
Is DG from Hardeeville, South Carolina Doug Griggs? I have a feeling it is! Are you on vacation Doug, if that is you indeed? Is it near Myrtle Beach? Myrtle Beach and Charleston are 2 of my favorite vacation spots that aren’t too far away! I awoke to 9 on my atomic clock thermometer this morning, but sure the airport was much warmer.
Tina B – 33 hours? Hmmmm – that might not be so bad. LOL! Let me get my eggs, bread and milk first. Let it Snow, Let it Snow!!!
Doppler Carol…it would be kind of fun if you were prepared! I was in snow heaven during 09-10.
WDBJ posted a snow forecast graphic on FB which put a great bit hole of Blacksburg and gave Montgomery Co 0″ of snow…what gives with that? I hope they are wrong.
wdbrand you’re right on with your road temp prediction. The highest in swva as of 10:35 was MP 5.5 om I-581 @ 32º. The one near me at MP 16.9 0n I-77 was at 29º with an air temp of 24º.
You have to get over in the Piedmont and Tidewater to get warm readings, some as high as the low 40′s.
Every station in Tennessee as far south as Chattanooga reporting snow. No sign of rain or mix down there.
Radar looks like the snow is jumping over us and re-forming east of here. Still sunny here but off to the west the clouds look like snow. Topping off the bird feeders and going out to get some fresh air. The Man of the House is out cutting up trees for next year’s wood pile.
Kevin, are you still thinking it will move in earlier than slated? It still looks like it is getting eaten by the dry air on the eastern edge.
It’s just about filled in SW Va west of I-77, on radar at least. I would estimate about 2 p.m. for New River Valley, later for Roanoke area. Snow area looks pretty solid in eastern Kentucky.
Thanks. We are headed out to C’burg so I was wondering if we’d have to drive back in it.
Kevin, does it look like we might get at least an inch out of this up here in Greene or are we just due for more snow frustration?
Also, talking about MT Lake, does anyone know if the powers that be have decided to try the river rock approach suggested by the professor from tech? I guess its worth a shot because mother nature sure isn’t helping. Would love to go back home some day and show my daughter how beautiful the lake is when its at full pond.
Anywhere east of the Blue Ridge will be depending on getting in some kind of localized snow band with the clipper to get more than an inch. Better chances of snow will be west of you and higher up, Jared.
You may notice radar blowing up right over Roanoke. Early snow is falling into dry layer and evaporating. Ridgetops would be most likely to see flakes early on. Eventually lower layers will moisten up and more intense precipitation will move in to draw it lower, but drier will be an issue eating up at the snow, as it just about always is with a clipper.
Currently cloudy, slight breeze, 37 F and the humidity has gone up to 37. Looks like snow.
Radar looks incredibly unimpressive right now. If/when the snow starts it looks like it will be over within 2 hours of starting (moving rapidly west to east, as snow has already ended in E. KY). Really perplexed by the NWS call for 1″-3″ in the NRV. I want to believe, but the reality of what I see happening in real time on radar just does not add up to any where near 1″-3″.
Snow just started here and it looks like graupel. Definitely not sleet or hail. NWS WW Advisory stops short of Carroll and Floyd Counties and I have a feeling that we should have been included. 29 F and light breeze.
Tina B, I was in snow hell in 09-10!
There is a secondary wave in western Kentucky behind the initial one, arriving this evening. That’s some of the reason for the 1-3-inch forecasts. Plus continued upslope flow and snow squalls developing.
Clippers are usually pretty unimpressive on radar. All the more unimpressive since some of what is there is evaporating before reaching the ground. I’m usually pretty unimpressed by clippers.
Snow just started here. It’s 30.
Snowin’ and blowin’ at 29F.
Looking north from Franklin County towards Roanoke, Masons Knob and Cahas Mountain are completely shrouded in either virga or snow. Send it southeastward please!
Snowing moderately at the Chapel. A lite coating already on top of what was still on the ground. Even though it has ended in E KY, I notice some new development on the radar. Still more to the west. Forecast for here is up to 4″ by tomorrow. Temp is 27.
light flurries in Blacksburg
Sun out again here. Ceiling scattered at 8,000′ and dew point 12º its not going to take some work to get snow here.
I wish we could edit our posts, i meant, “its going to take”.
Snowing a fairly good clip now near Fincastle at 32-degrees.
Looks lie we are in the usual “snow hole” here in Woodlawn..sun shining and all…
Snow started across the top of Bent Mt. around 1:50 PM.,but with the DP low as it is and dry air, it’s shore having a time gettin off the mountain. Some lite flurries here now. Pickin up now in the last few minutes. Got some wood on the small trailer that want’s a warm place fer da night. I’ll oblige it.
DP has made a move in the last 15 minutes and draggin the humiditty rite along with it. Gowin up like taxes.
Snow visible falling on Rockbridge mountains, but only flurries at pasture level.
On a greyhound bus between Bedford and Lynchburg. Going in and out of snow squalls. Mountains in the distance are barely still visible
Just started snowing lightly in West Salem. 12 O’Clock Knob is almost totally obscured.
Steady light snow now falling generally in Rockbridge County at 3:00 p.m. The temperature has dropped 3 degrees since it began to snow. It’s now 28 here.
Has already stopped in Fincastle. Snowed light-moderate for about half an hour. Not even a dusting, melted quick. I imagine more to come!!!
A light snow falling here in Bedford. Even seeing some white on the pavement. Woohoo!
A bit surprised by level of snow falling as I’ve been driving around Roanoke. Not much sticking yet, but coming down at decent pace.
My snow-predicting cat has been “predicting” snow all during the night and again during the morning. Sure enough it is snowing now at a decent pace. I am expecting some accumulation before the event is over. I live near William Byrd H.S.
The moderate snow gave way to lite snow. About a 1/2 inch so far. Roads are covering in the shady areas. Temp is 28 and the intensity is picking up again. Latest advisory for Washington Co is for 2-5 inches by tomorrow noon. Bring it on!
It’s like someone has a bit of dandruff up there to me. I see a flake or two fly by the window every once and a while but otherwise that is it.
Ironically, radar has been showing some of the heaviest snow over western Bedford County, right where the “snow hole” was on Jan. 17.
Is the stuff on the radar that is over N/NW Kentucky going to make it this way?
Just talked to a buddy in Aftons Meadow, near Chambisburg, and he said it was a lite snow with none sticking to anything. I can smell a blow hole commin!!!!!
Still a lotta dry air in place, but it’s gettin wetter.
Except for the roads and sidewalks, everything is white here in Bedford. We have had light to occasionally moderate snow for the last hour.
Kinda fitting after the Jan. 17 weirdness that Bedford is getting a little white today while others are not getting much.
There are some heavier echoes around Bluefield now, will see what those do.
The first wave of snow came to a rather abrupt ending in Roanoke with the sun even burning through for a bit.
TINA!! Same here! No snow in the Ellett Valley…barely any flurries! Meanwhile in Bburg there’s snow! Arg! That 500 ft in elevation makes so much of a difference! Tina, what’s your elevation in East Mont? Are you near Elliston or Shawsville?
Kevin, keep forgettin to ask, but with low DP’s, what is the lowest humidity level that you can get decent snow out of? Or is there a range that tells the tale.?
I’m pullin’ for ya Micheal Hoback! Hope somebody on here gets something to brag about!!
Stopped in Charlottesville. Light snow here. A dusting I’d say
The more critical factor than surface dew points is what the dew points are like from balloon soundings up to a mile or two up. At 7 a.m., the dew point above Blacksburg about half a mile was -30C (-22F) so you can see there was a lot of dry air between cloud and ground to moisten. The fact that we’re seeing snow at all indicates that column has moistened pretty well.
I hate to say it, but I’m about ready for spring. These little wimpy systems aren’t doing it for me, and cold without decent snow is annoying.
There’s a pretty heavy band of snow on radar coming right down US460 from Blufield to the Blacksburg/Christiansburg area. Interested to see if that keeps going eastward. First snow band may have moistened up the column a lot to allow it to reach the surface better, if it continues eastward.
Still dandruffing here, but it is a pretty bad case of the stuff. Pffft!
Nick, I am at about 1500′ – in the valley between Ft. Lewis Mt. and Paris Mt. It was definitely snowing on Ft. Lewis earlier.
Plows all along I-81, ready and waiting. With my group at Home Place in Catawba. Drive home might be interesting!
One inch so far…..snowing moderately.
The mounteen has dis-e-piered. This will be the showdown fer this snow.
Coming down pretty good in Fairlawn.
The NWS pulled back on the snow accumulation foreast, citing how the first wave mostly dried up going over the New River and Roanoke valleys.
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/rnk/emer/emer.php
Of course, the map has already busted for not coloring in a little white around Bedford and Lynchburg.
Scott Saunders, yes that was me down in Hardeeville, SC. Which is not close to either Myrtle Beach (NE corner of SC) nor Charleston. H-ville is about 10 miles N of Savannah, GA and about 15 miles generally west of HILTON HEAD Island, which is the best coastal place in SC for “goof” as fas as I am concerned.
Temp quickly rose to 45 and 46* as I motored N on I-95 in late morning, but never broke out higher than that. The closer I got to Greensboro, it began to drop back a bit. 41 here when I arrived a bit before 4:00. Big wind blowing providing quite a chill factor, and as KM mentioned earlier, it is out of what I consider a strange direction for cold weather … due south. It is probably out of W at higher altitudes? Nick, you asked TinaB where she lives. It is not in the Shawsville-Elliston-or Lafayetee immediate area. I think I know, but she may have provided that info to me via e-mail rather than here on the blog. So for a rare change, I will stifle. Hopefully she will come back here and reply to your Q.
Oops. TinaB already replied while I was dealing with this keyboard that is just about in the dark. Brandon, it sounds like you are ready to join the chorus that already includes Jared, Scott S., me, Blacksburg Mike, Nurse Snow and lots of TWLSers, and a multitude of others here who have ever wished that the weather would be something different than what it is or has been. Mick Jagger’s line is our theme song, whether the people named agree with me or not. “YCAGWYW … Repeat two more times ….”
But if one waits around long enough (and sometimes that is months if not years), the last line from the Rolling Stones also is approriate: “But if you try sometimes, ……. you might find …… that you get what you need!!!” Definitely true this past month for the vast majority of us who were begging for more moisture at least. LOL :>)
Ok, it is finally coming down like real snow should here. The ground is getting dusted and the deck is white. Not expecting more than we got from the one the other night.
Yeah but it is slicker than greased alligator outside and the temps fell faster than I thought.
Didn’t see where you’re located Henry. That would help.
Light snow now dancing in the lights in downtown Roanoke.
Snow lightly falling, cars dusted in Salem.
Light snow and ground getting white here in my part of Carroll.
This is the prettiest snow — we have a solid inch..maybe just a bit more…in Mendota, Virginia (northwest of Bristol) but it’s not wet and heavy so I’m hoping we will not lose our power! It’s still falling. This is the best kind of winter day (provided you can stay indoors!).
Doug — today was one of those nice days when I got what I wanted! Really enjoying it.
26 F with a humidity of 60%. Just a few light flakes falling. I was in Floyd around 1:30 this afternoon and it started to snow and I thought “Oh no, here it comes”. It lasted about 5 minutes and then “poof” – stopped.
All the drought maps we were seeing a month ago-have we caught up?
Not a thing at SML.
It should be wiped entirely by the next map, on Thursday, based on Tuesday morning data. This past week’s, based on pre-downpour data, showed only one remaining blotch of drought from Roanoke north.
http://www.droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DM_state.htm?VA,SE
Car tops and some grassy spots turning a little white in downtown Roanoke now.
Judging by the radar returns and some accumulation reports I’m seeing, I wonder if the weather service pulled back too quickly on its New River Valley snow forecasts.
Same here DC. Saw it comin over da mountain and said here it comes. Then had to say thar she goes. I absolutely despise a snow that don’t have the decency to start shortly after daylight so I can see it coming. One that waits til dark or snucks in under da cover of darkness is a thief, Meaning it takes the fun outta watching a snow develope. Bring on Spring.
Still coming down pretty hard on Brush Mtn. in Blacksburg. 460 is fairly snow-covered over this way. Little over an inch on the deck.
1.2″ in New River thus far, but it has slacked off a bit. Roads are a bit slick now though. Snow basically fell at around a half-inch per hour once it began falling fast enough to accumulate. Nice and pretty.
Doug: Pretty much. However, I’m also hoping we don’t get anymore 2-6 inch rainstorms anytime soon.
Snowing now for 4+ hrs …looks to be 2-3″ accumulation …enough to have the snow plows working
Do you think this snow will make it to Vinton area so far not even a flake
Parents reporting 3 inches in Pembroke. We have a skiff in Greene! Yeehaw! Oh well, looks like that favorable situation for coastal storms isn’t going to materialize, so guess I will be happy with my skiff!
Band of snow has been drying out as it moves eastward, and it appears the cutoff line has been roughly between downtown Roanoke (where we have a coating on cars, grassy areas, some sidewalks) and Vinton. Now, the band has further weakened, and more of the snow is shifting south.
Still snowing. We’ve got about 1.5″, 29 degrees. Roads look to be terrible. Fortunately, there aren’t many people out. Considering it’s been snowing non-stop since about 1:30pm, we haven’t gotten much. It’s been a nice, gentle snow – great for a little Saturday afternoon ambiance.
Still about 41* here. No precip reaching ground at all. Nancy called me while I was finishing “dinner at a diner.” Said that she had been doing tax prep work all day, drove up Bridle and Elbert Drives and Sugar Loaf Mountain Road in SW County and that she would not have been able to make it home without her 4-wheel drive option engaged. Told me not to try to make it home, side roads were slicker than a greased PIG, which I think is greasier than a greased ‘gator. LOL. Not sure, and not about to find out. If you have to drive home later this evening (at least if you will be near SW Roanoke County), be careful. This proves that it doesn’t take a lot of snow, sleet, snizzle, or ice to make roads very dangerous.
It started snowing in Buchanan about 2:30 but melted quickly. However, we now have a nice dusting on the porch and driveway. Beautiful snow. Wish we had a bit more!
Two inches and counting.
INTRUDER ALERT, INTRUDER ALERT! (that was from the first Star Trek movie) Kevin, please keep the ice and snow west of the US 220 corridor, at least south of Outback Steak House/Franklin Road south of Tanglewood. There, I’m guilty of a YCAGWYW request and possible later complaint.
Eva gal, I saw your comment. Glad that you recognized that YGWYN (You Got What You Needed …. or Wanted).
Brandon, I agree with you about not wanting another huge rainstorm anytime soon. But remember …… we CAGWWW. :>)
Radar shows a fairly strong band on US 220 between Greensboro and Martinsville now. Not sure how much is reaching the ground.
Drove to The Greenbrier from Roanoke took 2 hours in four wheel beast roads were very bad
Larry Cosgrove has backpedaled a little bit from his winter is “toast” statement to saying it is not dead but on life support. Also mentions a potential bitter cold shot in the 11-15 day period.
http://www.examiner.com/article/weatheramerica-newsletter-saturday-february-2-2013-at-8-00-p-m-ct-part-2
Snowfall amounts reported to NWS-Blacksburg. No surprise to me that Quinwood, WVa., leads with 9 inches.
https://nwschat.weather.gov/p.php?pid=201302030245-KRNK-NOUS41-PNSRNK
Not quite done with the clipper phase of this (followed by upslope phase) — a couple more bands appear to be moving through NRV and possibly into Roanoke Valley a bit later.
It snowed all the time we were at the Home Place – really lovely. We got home safely earlier this evening. I-81 was in good shape and we passed four plow/salter trucks. 460 off of ex 118B was coated and salters hadn’t been through. Measured just shy of 1.5 on my porch before I shoveled it off. Then it snowed another 1/4 to 1/2 inch. 28 at my house now.
I just did my “weather spotter” duty and called 3.0″ in to the NWS. The meteorologist thinks we will still see another inch here tonight.
Dear Mother Nature, youve delivered snow to my lawn for the 5th time already this season, and 4th time in a week, WOW. While I do appreciate the frequency of all these snows, can you deliver just one that exceeds a fraction of an inch?! 5 snows totaling 1.75 inches… REALLY!?!
Blackwell Chapel comes in with a snowy 3.5″ so far. There is another band of healthy moisture west of KY and local weather said it would move in here in the morning. Church and Church League Volleyball canceled for tomorrow. Went out with the grandson and his friends and their Dad on the gator tonight. Those boys will remember that long after Randy and I are gone. That’s what memories are made of. High today was 28 and we are sitting on 27 now.
I feel your pain DC! Seems there is a forcefield over northern Virginia the last 3 years. Guess we can throw accuweather winter forecast in the trash, supposed to be colder and much more snow this year. NOT!!!
There are those who would say you’re merely paying the tab up there for 2009-10.
Yeah, but thought that was suppose to make up for all the crappy winters in the 2000′s. So we will have another good winter around 2020 is what your telling me? LOL
Kevin,
can you confirm for me that it was snowing on Jan. 17 and 18 2013, in Roanoke, VA.
if it wasn’t snowing, was there snow on the ground at that time and about how many inches.
Thank you so much. his is important.
Judy Hunt