2/11 - 2/13 Major Winter Storm

[East Dubzz]

Yeah gonna be bad. I should prolly get my driveway cleared before it gets here.

One of the few times I’m thankful not to have a driveway!

[Wartburger]

The backside snow is fluffy and will really be able to blow around.

[Money]

Reports of 9 inches in Ripon already and that was a few hours ago

[gosaints]

Can't help myself gonna take a spin into the 30-35 dbz stuff just northeast of here

[james1976]

Can't help myself gonna take a spin into the 30-35 dbz stuff just northeast of here

Looks like thats just hangin over you. How much you got?

[WBadgersW]

Interesting Facebook post by NWS MKE.

 

We've had a lot of comments about warning decisions being made w/this event. Every winter storm is different. We know that there are a lot of decisions being made on these forecasts, so sometimes we can give warnings to others earlier based on our confidence.

 

We've had feedback that we've been going too high on many of our forecast amounts for snowfall this year, so we've been taking a slower approach on this event because there was uncertainty. It is a fast mover and the models don't always do a great job w/these events.

 

When Milwaukee or Madison are involved in those decisions, they become magnified by the number of eyes on the forecast. Bottom line: Know that we're putting a lot of effort into these difficult forecasts to make you aware of what is coming your way. -TH

I very much hate MKX had to post this. The worst part is, MKX hasn't actually been too far off. I've seen some pretty toxic posts on Facebook about them. Unfortunately when people see 7-12" they always assume it's going to be 12 ITBY.

[indianajohn]

At least for one day I'm Happy the Pattern this winter continued for Northwest Indiana and the freezing rain stayed mostly north.....ICE is no bueno!! LOL

[gosaints]

Wow . Winona mn and just ne gonna have great totals. So fkuffy

[gosaints]

In winona now. Has to be a foot

[hlcater]

In Iowa City, I just measured 4.2" and 0.25-0.3" of Ice. Family in Hiawatha sent me a picture measuring 8.2". Given precip has mostly stopped, these will be my totals for this storm.

[gosaints]

Looks like thats just hangin over you. How much you got?

6 inch report at 7 am in my backyard or 1200 yards away.. 2-3 inches since then. Should end up with close to 9

[Niko]

Currently at 30F w ice. Its beautiful outside, but dangerous.

[jaster220]

When I lived in Cedar Falls there was always, always, always more snow in Waterloo. It's crazy 5 or 10 miles makes such a difference repeatedly. I have a friend who swears it's because of the river....

 

Same issue here between Marshall and 5NW Battle Creek just 12 miles away, yet almost always score more. I am in the river plain and also believe that's a major reason why.

[East Dubzz]

Snow is already blowing pretty well out there. Consistently blowing off the roof.

 

The snow, that is. It’s not actually blowing the roof off the foundation.

[jaster220]

Currently at 30F w ice. Its beautiful outside, but dangerous.

 

Mostly sleet and ZR for Marshall again...sigh. Expected to be on the low end of the 2-4" in my forecast last night, but the WTOD killed that plan. Another horrible feature of this winter's M.O. around here anyways. 

 

Hoping the expected snow & winds on the backside aren't yet another "model mirage". 

[jaster220]

Snow is already blowing pretty well out there. Consistently blowing off the roof.

 

The snow, that is. It’s not actually blowing the roof off the foundation.

 

..glad you clarified 

[james1976]

Im goin with 6" but sure seems like more than that in my driveway. Starting to blow a lil too. Report 5 miles from me was exactly like mine 6.0" so Im still going with that.
32" on the season

[Niko]

Mostly sleet and ZR for Marshall again...sigh. Expected to be on the low end of the 2-4" in my forecast last night, but the WTOD killed that plan. Another horrible feature of this winter's M.O. around here anyways. 

 

Hoping the expected snow & winds on the backside aren't yet another "model mirage". 

Yup.....Lets hope the backside provides the white out conditions that they are saying. Too bad Fridays storm vanished. That could have been a doozy of a snowstorm.

[Hawkeye]

I received 6.9" of snow.  That includes the icy sleet layer.  My liquid total is 0.84" (gauge catch) and 0.92" (core sample.  The wettest models were right.  The final euro run only had 0.62" here... way too dry.  I would certainly have received 9-10" if not for the dang mix monster.  This is the first time this winter a warning has verified here.

[Minny_Weather]

It's easy to tell the sun is getting higher. It's only 23°F out and our inch is almost completely gone.

[gosaints]

Another weenie band moving through.  

[Hawkeye]

One final band of moderate+ snow is putting me over 7 inches.  There's a pretty good general increase in the snow intensity across east-central Iowa into Illinois.

[Iowawx]

I just measured 7.5” of snow here. As Hawkeye said, our total would have been higher if not for the period of sleet/freezing rain here that occurred around 10:00pm last night. But still, a very good system overall.

 

Still may add a bit more with another band moving through now.

[bud2380]

Snow is really coming down in CR with strong winds.

[gosaints]

Snow is really coming down in CR with strong winds.

This is as heavy as it has been here

[gosaints]

The GFS takes the cakes as the biggest loser with this system.  It was terrible around here.  The HRRR and RAP had one of their best performances of the season

[Snowshoe]

Still snowing albeit a bit lighter. Should pick up again as backside rotates through. Wind switched from East to west. Should snow through evening. Piling up! Pics from my much break.

[jaster220]

Kinda neat to see the 540 line being dragged thru SWMI

 

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/s4/thck.gif

[East Dubzz]

Light snow here, but it’s hard to tell what’s falling and what’s blowing haha. Dubuque already reported a gust of 35mph.

[Niko]

Ice is just about done. Never did get any rain that was suppose to followed. Holding at 33F. Its a Winter Wonderland out there w couple of inches of snow and a little ice on top.

[Hawkeye]

With the whipping wind there is is no way I can measure the snowfall from these final bands, but I'm just going to assume a couple tenths fell.  That would put my final total at 7.1".  I'll take it.

[East Dubzz]

With the whipping wind there is is no way I can measure the snowfall from these final bands, but I'm just going to assume a couple tenths fell. That would put my final total at 7.1". I'll take it.

There are a couple reports that are differing in my area (before this band, which may produce a little). 6.3” is the official DBQ measurement. Another measurement in East Dubuque had 6.3” earlier this morning, but it snowed more after that, and I never saw an update. There was also a 7.5” report just north of the airport. I said 6.5” this morning, but I also had a measurement of 7” and went conservative with me. I don’t keep track of my yearly snowfall, so I’ll just consider it a 7” storm or so, give or take.

 

There will always be that thought of how thing could have been more without that huge surge of WAA messing up our snow for a little while. But.. considering passing 6” seems to be like pulling teeth around here, I’m more than happy to take 7” from this. Really wasn’t 100% convinced we’d reach it when I went to bed, but glad to see it happen. Also made for a great ride to work this morning, as the snow plastered trees looked amazing. Storm isn’t even done yet, as the winds will wreck some havoc tonight.. but definitely one to remember.

[Tom]

Winds have begun to gust big time and I'm hearing chunks of ice falling off the trees and hitting my roof/sky light.  Lot's of slush out there as temps rose above freezing all day but now this will all freeze tonight.  Hope to score an inch or so from this last wave coming through N IL to cover up the grass!  This system is now showing signs on radar of rapid deepening as it heads onshore into W MI.  The ULL is spinning just north of GRR right now.

[jaster220]

Winds have begun to gust big time and I'm hearing chunks of ice falling off the trees and hitting my roof/sky light.  Lot's of slush out there as temps rose above freezing all day but now this will all freeze tonight.  Hope to score an inch or so from this last wave coming through N IL to cover up the grass!  This system is now showing signs on radar of rapid deepening as it heads onshore into W MI.  The ULL is spinning just north of GRR right now.

 

This kind of thing is a sign of a nice system..

 

 

 

At 348 PM EST, an area of heavy snow and sleet was located along a

line extending from near Alma to near Owosso. Movement was northeast

at 50 mph.

 

This area of heavy snow will be near...

Henderson around 400 PM EST.

Oakley around 405 PM EST.

Chesaning around 410 PM EST.

St. Charles around 420 PM EST.

Bridgeport around 430 PM EST.

Saginaw around 435 PM EST.

Zilwaukee around 440 PM EST.

Munger around 445 PM EST.

 

Other locations impacted by this area of heavy snow include

Carrollton, Garfield, Fenmore, Crump, Buena Vista Township,

Indiantown, Bombay, Hemlock, Porter Township and Shields.

 

Expect a period, half or less, of intense snowfall rates that will

produce less than a quarter mile visibility quick half inch of

accumulation on the roads. Drivers should use extreme caution.

 

Didn't roll out a squall warning tho?

[james1976]

This storm is quite impressive. Definitely nasty out there. Just went up to the store. A lot of blowing and drifting. And snowshowers kicked back in with pretty big flakes. Neighbor was thinking we have 7 or 8" but idk bout that. Definitely a solid 6.

[shakjen]

Winds really picked up the last hour, white conditions right now, out here in the open

[james1976]

Nothing on radar but its coming down pretty good....and not from the wind. Legit snowshowers plus the wind. Nasty out. Bout time we get a storm like this over here.

[VMB443]

We’ve had about seven inches with a little more still falling. Hard to believe our run of true winter weather over the past three weeks or so - four real storms plus the two days of bitter cold and five school days cancelled - winter took its time getting here, but now that it’s shown up, it’s shown up with a vengeance!

[OmahaSnowFan]

Always like using this site for snowfall reports. Gives all the reports in an easy to read site. Shows the 1.5-2” of snow here in town from yesterday’s storm. https://www.weather.gov/source/crh/snowmap.html?sid=dmx

[St Paul Storm]

Snow looks to be finished here. Winds starting whipping at times before I could measure, but I think 5” is about right. That puts the monthly snowfall so far at 21”. About 15”-18” otg after compaction.