2/19 - 2/20 Southern Plains/GL's Cutter

[james1976]

Took this photo a while ago after clearing my driveway. Been a while since I've had snow piles like this! Pic doesnt do the scenery justice but gives an idea.

[Iowawx]

Looks like my final total for this is 4.9". I am happy with this storm considering the fact that there was some dry air in it. 

 

I took this photo around 8:45AM when the snow was the heaviest during this storm. Gives you an idea about how big flake size was. These flakes pilled up very quickly! 

 

[jaster220]

I wonder why I would possibly be using police vocabulary.... 

 

I tend to get at-the-moment frustrated about things. I've been here long enough to make that fairly obvious. I don't actually get mental about weather, I do know there are bigger things in life. But when I see models advertising a high of 38 with full sun the day after an under-performing snowfall, that is when I'll get frustrated. 

 

Then you would go insane with the torch-off pattern I've endured this winter! 

[Minny_Weather]

Then you would go insane with the torch-off pattern I've endured this winter! 

Seriously dude, I don't think I could stand it. Melting snow is one of the most hideous things to look at imo. Your inability to keep a snowpack this Winter is brutal. At least we had a decent pack for a good 3 weeks, and we're building one now.

[St Paul Storm]

As MNTonka alluded to earlier. Here’s the record. 8” down and still snowing. That brings us to just over 30” for the month, shattering the old record of 26”. Still one week left in the month too.

 

Edit: also, this is now the 10th snowiest month on record, and the first time topping 30” since the metrodome buster in Dec 2010. Wow.

[james1976]

Poundtown here again. Trying to keep up with measurements but its bout 32 degrees. I'm up to 9.2" now. Blown away with how this has panned out!

[Hawkeye]

It appears the snow is over down here.  My total is 4.1", although that probably compacted some.  I should have been up at 5am to clear the boards.  My liquid total is 0.47", once again in line with the model average.  The snow piles are quite large.

[Niko]

Took this photo a while ago after clearing my driveway. Been a while since I've had snow piles like this! Pic doesnt do the scenery justice but gives an idea.20190220_113649.jpg

Nice!

[Hawkeye]

I got the same amount of precip from each of the last two storms.  However, one storm dropped 8.4" of snow and the next one 4.1".

[james1976]

It just wont stop snowing but not accumulating much anymore with the mild temps. What a sight it is around the neighborhood. This is winter.

[St Paul Storm]

Probably a few more hours added on with the southward backbuilding. This is nuts. 20” OTG and counting.

[St Paul Storm]

A look out onto my lower deck. Nope, not getting out that door.

[BrianJK]

Really starting to regret not shoveling my roof up north before coming home.  Had a little over 30" when i left, look to be getting around 6" today, and this weekend already has heavy snow wording in the P&C.  Becoming increasingly concerned with what 40"+ of solid snow pack might do to the roofs...

[East Dubzz]

Still light snow showers here. Not really accumulating, but it’s still falling. Can tell the snow has compacted. That said, a decent amount of this current snowpack has a lot of liquid content to it, which should help when it warms up this weekend. But, even that won’t do too much to save it from high 30s and sunny on Friday and rain on Saturday.

[Cfweather]

Really starting to regret not shoveling my roof up north before coming home.  Had a little over 30" when i left, look to be getting around 6" today, and this weekend already has heavy snow wording in the P&C.  Becoming increasingly concerned with what 40"+ of solid snow pack might do to the roofs...

A local elementary school had part of its roof collapse today. I know schools have flat roofs- so it’s a little different. Thankfully no one was there. Imagine if it had happened tomorrow!

[james1976]

Final tally of 9.4" 
I wonder if one of the reasons my report is higher is cuz I stayed up most of the night doing several measurements and clearing the area I measure each time. I gotta believe there are a few other people around the area that did the same though lol.
Solid 50" on the season

[james1976]

A couple 7+ reports coming in now NW of Waterloo so that doesnt make my measurement sound as crazy

[Hawkeye]

Final tally of 9.4" 

I wonder if one of the reasons my report is higher is cuz I stayed up most of the night doing several measurements and clearing the area I measure each time. I gotta believe there are a few other people around the area that did the same though lol.

Solid 50" on the season

 

How often were you clearing?  The snow should not be cleared more than once every six hours.

[Bellona]

I'd say where I am at we hit about 7 on the south side, give or take.

[East Dubzz]

How often were you clearing? The snow should not be cleared more than once every six hours.

I knew that rule, but I’ve never understood it. I don’t usually clear my area as it is, so I don’t run into the problem. But.. I think clearing it more often would give you an accurate assessment of how much snow actually fell. Like I said, though, the people who put these rules together are smarter than I, so I’m sure there reasoning is more solid than mine.

[james1976]

How often were you clearing?  The snow should not be cleared more than once every six hours.

Interesting. I never actually knew that! I prolly cleared the snow off 5 or 6 times throughout the event. And it was on my patio table. I never knew about the 6 hour thing and you are supposed to use a snowboard (or a 2ft by 2ft piece of plywood painted white). So yeah that would have affected my total. Ill have to try this method out.

[james1976]

I knew that rule, but I’ve never understood it. I don’t usually clear my area as it is, so I don’t run into the problem. But.. I think clearing it more often would give you an accurate assessment of how much snow actually fell. Like I said, though, the people who put these rules together are smarter than I, so I’m sure there reasoning is more solid than mine.

 

Yeah you would think the more times you clear it that it would be more accurate. Thats what I always thought anyway.

[East Dubzz]

Yeah you would think the more times you clear it that it would be more accurate. Thats what I always thought anyway.

I don’t remember when I was told about the 6-hour rule, but I do remember it for some reason. I wonder if part of it has to do with keeping rules more uniform. Like, you may clear it every 3 hours, where your neighbor does it every six, which would cause some differences. Having that 6-hour rule would allow for everyone to have the same compaction issue. Not saying that’s the only reason, but I’d guess that’s maybe a factor?

[Grizzcoat]

How often were you clearing?  The snow should not be cleared more than once every six hours.

 

 

This is incorrect. FAA Contract Weather Observers that provice official snow measurments at many large airports for the NWS  MUST clear part of the board every hour to determine a SNINCR  remark- snow increasing rapidly.- (and likely adding up each hour for 6 hours for a 6 hour total- especially if any of the snow that fell earlier- melted. )  Whenever at least .5" of new snow falls in the hour - a remark such a "SNINCR 1/8" is added to the metar. "1" of new snow (.5" or greater) with "8" on the ground. Check out KMSP obs from today-- Now I understand that many can't clear a board every hour- but in the FAA 7900.5 and NWS Snow Measuring Guide- this is the case. The SNINCR remark is for the aviation community in knowing the depth of snow "potentially' on the runway in the last hour.

 

KMSP 201753Z 10008G18KT 1/2SM R30L/4000V5500FT -SN BR VV012 M04/M05 A2966 RMK AO2 SFC VIS 1 SLP060 SNINCR 1/17 4/017 P0005 60042 T10441050 11044 21067 58041

KMSP 201736Z 10011G17KT 1/4SM R30L/2200V4000FT SN FZFG VV010 M04/M05 A2968 RMK AO2 P0003 T10441050

KMSP 201709Z 12012KT 3/4SM R30L/3500VP6000FT -SN BR OVC013 M05/M06 A2971 RMK AO2 SFC VIS 1 1/4 P0002 T10501056

KMSP 201653Z 12007KT 1/4SM R30L/2200V4500FT SN FZFG VV007 M05/M06 A2973 RMK AO2 TWR VIS 3/4 SLP080 SNINCR 1/16 P0008 T10501056

KMSP 201630Z 14007KT 1/4SM R30L/1600V3000FT SN FZFG VV008 M05/M06 A2974 RMK AO2 TWR VIS 3/4 P0004 T10501056

KMSP 201612Z 11010KT 1/2SM R30L/3000V4000FT SN FZFG VV008 M05/M06 A2973 RMK AO2 TWR VIS 3/4 P0002 T10501056

KMSP 201553Z 09013G21KT 1/4SM R30L/1800V2600FT +SN FZFG VV006 M05/M06 A2974 RMK AO2 TWR VIS 1/4 SLP084 SNINCR 1/15 P0007 T10501056

KMSP 201453Z 08014KT 1/4SM R30L/2400V3000FT +SN FZFG VV006 M06/M07 A2979 RMK AO2 TWR VIS 1/4 SLP101 SNINCR 1/14 P0007 60022 T10611067 56051

KMSP 201353Z 08011KT 1/4SM R30L/2600V3000FT SN FZFG VV006 M06/M07 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP119 SNINCR 1/13 P0007 T10611067

KMSP 201335Z 09010KT 1/4SM R30L/2400V4000FT SN FZFG VV007 M06/M07 A2985 RMK AO2 TWR VIS 1/4 P0004 T10611067

KMSP 201253Z 08013KT 1/2SM R30L/5000V5500FT SN VV008 M06/M07 A2988 RMK AO2 SLP134 SNINCR 1/12 P0008 T10611072

[james1976]

I don’t remember when I was told about the 6-hour rule, but I do remember it for some reason. I wonder if part of it has to do with keeping rules more uniform. Like, you may clear it every 3 hours, where your neighbor does it every six, which would cause some differences. Having that 6-hour rule would allow for everyone to have the same compaction issue. Not saying that’s the only reason, but I’d guess that’s maybe a factor?

Yeah I could see that. Makes sense. Ill have to try this out and get a snowboard for next event.

[East Dubzz]

Yeah I could see that. Makes sense. Ill have to try this out and get a snowboard for next event.

Little late in the year to be getting into snowboarding, isn’t it?

 

... ha! I kid, I kid.

[East Dubzz]

I have an extra inch of nasty heavy snow on my sidewalk after coming back from work. That’s on top of the my original 3.5” this morning. Hard to imagine this new stuff was less than 1.5” after all the compaction.

 

So I’m guessing my storm total was anywhere from 5.5” to 6”. Definitely overperformed my expectations. Little surprised my total varies so much from the DBQ airport, who I believe reported 4.1” for a total earlier. May have added a little with the afternoon showers, I suppose. I’ve had different measurements than them before, but I just didn’t expect it with this storm.

 

That’s, what? The 4th storm at least of 5” or more, I think. Maybe even the 5th?