Thursday, February 17, 2011

Snow and blowing snow moving into Red River valley

An intensifying storm system developing over North Dakota will track into Northwestern Ontario tonight. Snow is spreading eastward across Southern Manitoba this afternoon as this system approaches. 5 to 10 cm of snow is likely for most areas of Southern Manitoba before the snow tapers off from west to east overnight into Friday morning. In addition to the snow, strong northwest winds gusting up to 70 km/h will develop by evening on the back side of this system and the combination of the falling snow and strong winds will produce poor visibilities of less than 1 km in snow and blowing snow especially over open rural areas. Blizzard conditions may develop especially in the Red River Valley this evening if the strongest of the winds materialize. Conditions will improve on Friday as winds gradually subside.

47 comments:

  1. Whiteout conditions on many roads in the southern part of the city. Occasional moments of zero visibilty. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the highways have been closed.

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  2. Info "zulu" at CYWG at 03:00z (9pm lclc) wind 300 deg @ 30 1/4 mile vis in light snow and heavy blowing snow, vertical vis 100 feet. CYWG reduced visibility pan in effect. RVR were at times lest than 1200 feet. Man I sure would not like to be on the highway this evening!!

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  3. METAR CYWG 18 03:00Z 31031KT 1/4SM R31/2600FT/N R36/3000V5500FT/D -SN +BLSN VV001 M15/M16 A2949 RMK SN8 SLP006=

    Listening to my scanner on the airport arrival and tower frequency, a few aircraft are diverting to their filed weather alternates. Shitty night to be driving or flying!

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  4. 760
    WWCN11 CWWG 180131
    SEVERE WEATHER BULLETIN
    ISSUED BY ENVIRONMENT CANADA
    AT 7:31 PM CST THURSDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2011.
    --------------------------------
    WATCHES/WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN MANITOBA...

    BLIZZARD WARNING FOR:
    =NEW= CITY OF WINNIPEG
    =NEW= STEINBACH - ST. ADOLPHE - DOMINION CITY - VITA - RICHER
    =NEW= SELKIRK - GIMLI - STONEWALL - WOODLANDS - ERIKSDALE
    =NEW= DUGALD - BEAUSEJOUR - GRAND BEACH
    =NEW= PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE - HEADINGLEY - BRUNKILD - CARMAN
    =NEW= MORDEN - WINKLER - ALTONA - EMERSON - MORRIS.

    BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST UNTIL AT LEAST MIDNIGHT AND BLOWING SNOW LINGERING THROUGH THE NIGHT.

    BLOWING SNOW WARNING FOR:
    BISSETT - NOPIMING PROVINCIAL PARK - PINE FALLS
    WHITESHELL - LAC DU BONNET - PINAWA
    SPRAGUE - NORTHWEST ANGLE PROVINCIAL FOREST
    DAUPHIN - ROBLIN - WINNIPEGOSIS
    MINNEDOSA - NEEPAWA - RUSSELL - RIDING MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
    STE. ROSE - MCCREARY - ALONSA - GLADSTONE
    ARBORG - HECLA - FISHER RIVER - GYPSUMVILLE - ASHERN.

    POOR VISIBILITIES IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW EXPECTED INTO FRIDAY MORNING.

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  5. SPECI CYWG 180429Z 31025G30KT 1/2SM R31/2800FT/N R36/5000FT/N
    -SN BLSN VV001 RMK SN8=

    METAR CYWG 180400Z 31033KT 1/4SM R31/1200FT/N R36/2400FT/N -SN +BLSN
    VV001 M16/M17 A2953 RMK SN8 SLP019=

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  6. That storm packed quite the wallop!!
    I was driving in the blizzard conditions tonight!

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  7. Any ideas on how much snow actually fell?

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  8. Well, I can say that this may have been the worst I've ever seen the models perform. While they had the winds right the entire time; they struggled with the split flow, constantly flip-flopping on precipitation location and intensity. While it would have been nice to see warnings out a little earlier, it was near impossible to get a grasp on where the heavy snow was going to fall until it was nearly on our doorstep. If you gathered the last 8 runs of the GEM-REG leading up to the event, you'd truly see how astonishingly poorly the model performed.

    That being said, it sure was a miserable night out last night. My wife and I curled up with some tea and watched the "Plants" episode of BBC's Life documentary to keep the winter blues away.

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  9. Very difficult to measure snowfall last night to the winds and severe drifting and blowing. Drifts of 30 cm or more in some spots, while large areas were swept clean.I'm estimating about 5 cm of new snow which jibes pretty well with Winnipeg airport's water equivalent of 3.5 mm. Most snowfall reports from southern MB this morning were in the 2-5 cm range.. although it seemed like more due to the winds.

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  10. Were the h'way conditions strictly new snow as the ground cover heavily crusted?

    Speaking of snow what happened to the enormous snow pile on Kenaston? Sizable shrinkage.
    Did it melt or did they haul it away.

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  11. Now that we're nearing the last 10 days of Feb where do we sit vis a vis normal feb snow?

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  12. Rob have you thought of including an iconic representation of the Snow.. this month, this winter including normal and record ticks on the scale. A la Obs temp thermometer or your rain page?

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  13. We cleared snow all night. As for amounts I would say they were very low. I think 5cm would be a stretch. The drifting next to buildings etc were not very large and a 5 cm snowfall with that wind would have produced huge drifts off the roofs of large buildings. I would think the high mositure would have come more from the freezing rain and pellets we had early on. I would say closer to 2-3cm for Winnipeg. Just my guess.

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  14. This free press story says 3.5 cm:

    http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Storms-closes-highways-schools-116464103.html

    I don't usually trust the Free Press, though.

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  15. Total of about 3cm in Steinbach. Very difficult to measure, as is the case in most areas with this system. Liquid equivalent came in at 1.5mm, putting the ratio at 20:1.

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  16. So when is the next chance for snow?!?!?! :)

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  17. Storm system will bring another batch of snow south of us through the southern Dakotas and southern Minnesota over the weekend.. but that system will miss us, so we stay relatively dry over the next few days (some light snow possible tomorrow but nothing significant) Ensembles indicate some light snow possible over Winnipeg/RRV by the 23-24th, but other than that.. looks relatively dry and cold through the end of February.

    Don, a snow gauge on my website would be great but I'd have to update any snow stats manually since my weather station doesn't track snowfall automatically. Something to consider though for next winter..

    BTW, after this most recent snowfall, I'm up to 123 cm for the season.. only 6 cm this month though.

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  18. Rob.
    Go to the NWS grand forks home page, one of the headlines has a news article about the solar flares of recent!
    Quite surprised they would put something like that on there.
    By the sounds of it things could get more interesting in the coming months to years!

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  19. Once again February seems to be living up to its rep of the lowest snow totals of the winter. Unfortunately more snow is falling now.

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  20. So far today it looks like Winnipegs snow force fields have been turned on. Snow for the most part has skirted around the city.

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  21. Shortly after I made my early post the force fields let up and some snow moved in.

    Rob I notice that most of the day the Radar has been showing snow to the south of the city but nothing overhead yet it is diffently snowing. Is this system low to the ground and radar can't pick it up?

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  22. Daryl I'm surprised that the implemented TWN Radar doesn't include the US events as the BETA version did an effective job last summer with the severe weather.

    I wonder if it is a snow issue or are there other reasons.

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  23. Jim that's a good point maybe its happened since they switched to the snow radar.

    You can see systems someplaces in the USA but not in the NorthDakota area.

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  24. Daryl..

    You're on the right track about the snow today. I think radar was showing heavier intensity of snow aloft, but lighter snow near the ground wasn't being picked up by radar (at least not by the conventional radar displayed on weatheroffice) Low angle Doppler radar output would have likely picked up this area of low level light snow much better. It's a shame that the public doesn't have access to Doppler radar images in Canada like they do in the States...

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  25. -28 this morning? Looking out to the first week of March it looks ridiculously cold for this time of year. I'm tired of it and winter can end now as far as I'm concerned.

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  26. It looks like winter is back until the at least the start of March!
    Hopefully this will be winter's last sucker punch!!!

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  27. Looks like the Twin Cities got another major snowfall! Man are they ever getting slammed this year!
    Does anyone have a stat on how much snow has fallen so far this season at the airport???

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  28. Another system seems to be passing just south of us Thursday Friday.
    Any idea when these may levitate northward?

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  29. Thats a good question, and is it possible that march could be a snowy month??

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  30. November had above average snowfall, December below average, January above, and now February below. Doubt that that pattern is really anything but coincidental, but maybe it'll continue. ;)

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  31. Rob!
    I can't believe how cold it could be getting until early March!
    This week and next week could be like January around here! Bummer!

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  32. Daniel P

    Here is the info in regards to MSP snowfall.... 74,.5 inches of snow so far this season... second to 1891 for snowiest season to date...


    http://www.startribune.com/blogs/116612753.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUgOy9cP3DieyckcUsI

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  33. Judging by the long range, arctic highs will dominate into the second week of March. ECMWF has forcasted a warmup March 7-14. Cold and dry will ease people's concerns regarding the flood so long as there isn't a fast melt once it does decide to warm up.
    I am putting my money where my mouth is by saying we have seen the worst of the snow and we will be normal to below normal snowfall for the remainder of the winter.

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  34. Thanks for the link, Dan GF!

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  35. Dan GF!
    I now know where Paul Douglas went!
    I used to watch his weather reports on WCCO all the time and then he moved on! Now with that link I see where he's at!!

    Dan, the NWS going to be doing any flood updates soon or they waiting till sometime in early march???

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  36. The last outlook was Feb 17th...the next one is March 3 rd...

    About March weather...I say we are due to a return to stormier weather.... our local climate guy sees a major event sometime at the end of March that shows up in his composites. Sorry I dont know his specifics....

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  37. Winds out there today are pretty awful.

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  38. Total of 19.6 inches of snow in the suburbs of Minneapolis in the weekends storm. List of locations and amounts on my name or

    http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/nfdscc2.html

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  39. Does any one know if Madison Mn just south of Fergus Falls on Hwy 75 drains into Lake traverse or its tributaries?

    They rec'd 20 inches of snow.

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  40. In answer to the question about Madison Minnesota....nope...anything there would flow toward the Minnesota River...and then head south toward Mankato and then the cities.

    FYI In areas that do flow into Lake Traverse such as Ortonville snowfall was about 17-18 inches....a bit farther north Wheaton had over 11 inches along the Mustinka river but that also flows into Lake Traverse. Lake Traverse is a controlled lake with a Dam controlled by US Corps of Engineers. For areas that flow into Bois de Sioux....Ottertail and eventually the Red reports indicate 7-9 inches around Wahpeton/Breck....

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  41. I wonder if Rob is on holidays???
    Good time to take them with -40 C windchills readings and it's almost March....sigh.....

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  42. It seems so easy to be 15-20 degrees below normal on any particular day but being above normal for the same amount is few and far between. My opinion is 30 year averages need to be adjusted to show this anomaly. In fact, a 10 year average would better reflect this.

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  43. No.. still here, shivering with everyone else. Haven't had a lot of time to post new stuff... plus dry and cold weather is so boring to talk about! Will try to post something new soon..

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  44. Are those Sunday Monday temps wishcasting or ?

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  45. I for one like cold dry weather, not boring at all. I don't like earthquakes - tornados - or hurricanes. I'll take cold MB weather anyday.

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  46. I hope your being sarcastic!

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  47. Anyone know how much snow fell last night?

    Thanks

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