Category: Winter Storm

Dec 30

Additional Snow Overnight; Dangerous Cold Grips The Region…

Highlights:

  • Blowing and drifting issues
  • Snow returns late tonight
  • Prolonged stretch of severe cold

Bundle Up; Snow Returns Overnight…Yesterday’s snow event went as planned and many Hoosiers are waking up to several inches of powder this morning.  The winners yesterday stretched from Frankfort to Elwood to Winchester with a 6″ to 7″ band of snow.  All of that fresh snow will be blown and drifted about today with strong and gusty northwest winds.  If your travels take you into the open country, plan on significant blowing and drifting and leave extra time to reach your destination.

Additional upper level energy will scoot across the region late tonight into early Sunday and this will help kick up an area of light snow for central and southern portions of the state as we head into New Year’s Eve.  With the arctic air mass in place, don’t be surprised if we squeeze a quick inch out in spots.

Otherwise, the big story is the prolonged nature of this severe cold.  At times, wind chill values will drop to more than 30° below zero through early week.  Take the frigid conditions seriously.  Reinforcing arctic air will pour in here late next week and lead to scattered snow showers along with a bitter feel after slight midweek “moderation.”

Upcoming 7-Day Precipitation Forecast:

  • Snowfall: 1″ to 3″
  • Rainfall: 0.00″

Permanent link to this article: https://indywx.com/additional-snow-overnight-dangerous-cold-grips-the-region/

Dec 29

Plowable Snow Event Gives Way To Dangerous Cold…

A quick-moving, but efficient clipper system will scoot across the Ohio Valley as we wrap up the work week and head into the weekend.  This will spread a swath of accumulating snow through central and northern IN this afternoon into early Saturday morning.

We forecast snow to start flying for the city, itself, around 1p to 2p.

Snow will then encompass most of the state as we progress into the late afternoon and evening hours.

At times, we expect moderate snow to be falling across central Indiana and this will, unfortunately, make for a messy evening commute.  Plan for snow covered and snow packed roads and slick conditions.  Leave extra time to reach your destination.

While snow showers will continue Saturday morning, most of the accumulating snow will fall before sunrise Saturday and here’s our updated accumulation forecast:

Attention once to Saturday will shift to the problems associated with blowing and drifting snow as winds increase and temperatures tumble.  Strong and gusty northwest winds will continue into early next week and not only will this lead to continued issues with blowing and drifting, but will also drive dangerously cold air into the area.

Here’s a look at our forecast lows over the next few mornings:

  • Saturday morning (12.30.17): 13° (falling through the day)
  • Sunday morning (12.31.17): 4° below zero
  • Monday morning (01.01.18): 6° below zero
  • Tuesday morning (01.02.18): 10° below zero

Not only will we have to deal with an extended stretch of subzero lows, but winds will combine to add further danger to the extreme weather.  Most of central and northern portions of the state will have to deal with 25° to 35° below zero wind chill values Tuesday morning.  Plan and prepare now.

Permanent link to this article: https://indywx.com/plowable-snow-event-gives-way-to-dangerous-cold/

Dec 23

An “Appetizer” To Christmas Eve’s “Main Course…”

In general, northern ‘burbs picked up between 1″ to 3″ of wet snow earlier this morning before drier conditions arrived for the afternoon hours.  A couple of reports include Whitestown with 1.6″, Carmel with 2″, and Lebanon with 2.5″.  A sharp cut-off with slushy coatings to less than 1″ made it as far south as the city, itself.  Today’s event will be viewed as the “appetizer” to Christmas Eve’s “main course.”

Vigorous upper level energy will track through the Ohio Valley Christmas Eve afternoon into the evening, itself.

Snow will begin to overspread the state, especially north of the I-70 corridor during the mid-to-late morning hours and we expect a steady snow to fall across the northern half of the state throughout the majority of the day.  A period of moderate to heavy snow should develop during the mid-to-late afternoon, continuing into the evening hours across central Indiana.  Road conditions will begin to really deteriorate during this time frame as surface temperatures fall into the 20s.

Eventually, snow will end from west (around 8p) to east (around midnight) tomorrow night, but not before depositing a widespread swath of 3″-5″ for areas generally north of I-70.  For the city, itself, we think 2″ to 3″ is a good call, with generally an inch, or less across far southern portions of the state.

Don’t be surprised if enough Christmas “magic” results in localized heavier totals with potential banding that develops tomorrow afternoon into the evening hours.  All in all, this will be a classic, picturesque snow event for Christmas Eve.  Hoosiers will wake up Christmas morning with a fresh blanket of white.

We have additional wintry fun and games to track later next week!

Permanent link to this article: https://indywx.com/an-appetizer-to-christmas-eves-main-course/

Dec 21

VIDEO: Sure Hope You Like Winter…

You must be logged in to view this content. Click Here to become a member of IndyWX.com for full access.  Already a member of IndyWx.com All-Access?  Log-in here.

Permanent link to this article: https://indywx.com/video-sure-hope-you-like-winter/

Mar 06

Thoughts Shift From Storms To Snow…

Before we discuss the weekend winter storm threat, we still have to get through the overnight period-morning hours Tuesday with embedded heavy rain and storms.  Some of these storms could offer up gusty winds and a few could be strong as they rumble across central Indiana Tuesday morning.

Most of the storms should push through west-central Indiana well before the morning rush hour.

Forecast radar 4am Tuesday.

Forecast radar 6am Tuesday.

Attention will then shift to the winter storm threat this weekend- particularly Friday night through early Sunday morning.  We still have to fine tune the all-important specifics, but confidence is rising on the possibility of a significant wintry event impacting at least portions of the region this weekend.  March snow events provide added headaches of dealing with the impacts of marginal temperatures, higher sun angle/ time of day, etc.  Conversely, the tight thermal gradients noted with most late season, spring snow events can be impressive, as they can quickly feedback, ultimately leading to swaths of thumping wet, heavy snow.  Hoosiers don’t have to think back too terribly far to some impressive and impactful March snow events.  Modeling today is in relatively good and surprising agreement, especially considering the lack of agreement models have dealt us weather ‘folk for the past few months.  🙂

GFS ensemble members are focusing in on a snow event this weekend.

It’s still early in the game and a lot can (and likely will) change with model runs over the next few days.  It’s wise not to make knee-jerk reactions to the operational model solutions, but instead understand the overall pattern driving the potential of this memorable March wintry event.  Anomalously cold air in southern Canada will spill south this weekend and help aid in the “fun and games” ahead.  At the same time, given the time of year, “suppression depression” isn’t likely as their will be resistance from the south-central Plains and southeast ridging in place.  As of now, we think the I-70 corridor could be the “sweet spot” for snow totals, understanding fine-tuning will be required moving forward.  Where a snowpack accumulates this weekend, expect temperatures Sunday night/ Monday morning to fall into the 10s.

Much more later!

Permanent link to this article: https://indywx.com/thoughts-shift-from-storms-to-snow/