December 29th - 30th Snowstorm

[FAR_Weather 5174]

Remember how I posted about the thin DGZ yesterday? That's biting me in the butt. Haven't seen any flakes that are larger than pea sized. Visibility is low but that's solely because of the wind. 23*F.

[bud2380 3462]

I don’t think this is going to underperform. In fact the further south RDPS seems like it may have been on to something all along. Nice totals already showing up for much of southern Iowa. 

[GDR 667]

Saddle up, it’s dumping snow right now! My son came inside and said he heard thunder.

[East Dubzz 1312]

3 minutes ago, East Dubzz said:

After that initial burst of snow, it hasn’t snowed here for a bit now. Just waiting for the main event to start up here.

And just as I say that, some light snow has started back up again.

[snowstorm83 1906]

6.5" officially at KLNK. The report said only through noon, but also made it sound like the final total. I guess anything since then would be less than 1/2" though. Other than 2/23/19, this is the biggest storm since Feb 2015. I'll see the aftermath in person by this time tomorrow. Roads still look like hot garbage on webcams. 

[jcwxguy 1470]

7" here

[FV-Mike 423]

My county, Kane  (IL), added to WSW.  nice suprise

[Hawkeye 4420]

3 minutes ago, bud2380 said:

I don’t think this is going to underperform. In fact the further south RDPS seems like it may have been on to something all along. Nice totals already showing up for much of southern Iowa. 

Well, the deepest moisture is veering east across southern Iowa, so if it can stay snow it'll really pile up, like the UK has been showing.

FWIW, the 18z NAM now no longer lifts the mix up to Cedar Rapids, keeps us all snow.

[Hawkeye 4420]

It's really dumping here now, lowest visibility of the day.

[East Dubzz 1312]

Very nice snowfall here right now! Nothing too much, and not great flake size, but nice to see some good snowfall during the day.

[ToastedRavs 341]

Been seeing 1 to 2 inches per hour since 1pm downtown Des Moines. It's piling up quickly...just under 6" in downtown. Enjoy it up to the NE, it's pound town! Oh and up the Reds (for you Premier league fans out there!)

[Sparky 1677]

That vehicle on the road was just creeping along slowly. It’s not really safe to be traveling right now! Visibility is low too.

[Niko 7225]

This just in from my local forecaster:

QUOTE: Snow will develop this evening, and perhaps even become heavy for a couple of hours. We could easily pick up a couple of inches or even a few inches of snow. Once this band of snow passes through, precipitation will lighten up a bit, and then freezing rain will move in toward morning. Accordingly, the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory from 10:00 p.m. until 9:00 a.m tomorrow morning. Stay tuned  for the very latest, including high-resolution computer models that provide outstanding visual timing on all of the weather changes coming our way.

[Sparky 1677]

13 minutes ago, GDR said:

Saddle up, it’s dumping snow right now! My son came inside and said he heard thunder.

Awesome. Hoping for thunder snow here.

[BMT 349]

This is what we watch the models for!  Fantastic snow right now.  

[Hawkeye 4420]

I measured 2.2" at 3pm.

[Niko 7225]

This snow is racing for SEMI.....

[Grizzcoat 3692]

Absolute insane rates on my way to work will try a video later

[bud2380 3462]

Up to 3” already. 2 hours and 20 minutes after it started. 

[Hawkeye 4420]

Spotter report of heavy sleet and freezing rain just west of Ottumwa.

[Hawkeye 4420]

Just now, bud2380 said:

Up to 3” already. 2 hours and 20 minutes after it started. 

Are you in Tiffin or CR?

[DSM WeatherNut 83]

4 minutes ago, Grizzcoat said:

Absolute insane rates on my way to work will try a video later

Its snowing ridiculously hard here near Windsor Heights/Des Moines

[DSM WeatherNut 83]

I'd like to see a pivot about now. lol

 

[Hawkeye 4420]

There is a multi-county area from Iowa City south and west reporting 3-4".  This area had the widespread yellow on radar move over them.

[hlcater 1321]

Looking outside in downtown CR and we’ve got to be 2.5-3” with 1-2”/hr rates. Just pounding. 

[shakjen 137]

Exactly one hour in and I just measured 1.75”. 

[james1976 3934]

Just drove 45min in 1/8 mile visibility and snow covered roads. Good stuff

[Sparky 1677]

Soon it should start pounding harder and I’m already up to around 4.3”! Some decent drifts on the drive of several feet deep. This is awesome  

[Grizzcoat 3692]

Pushing 3" hr rates. Been in lake effect before and this is as close as IA gets to lake effect

[Hawkeye 4420]

3 minutes ago, Sparky said:

Soon it should start pounding harder and I’m already up to around 4.3”! Some decent drifts on the drive of several feet deep. This is awesome  

4.3" is very impressive.

[james1976 3934]

Just measured 3.2" at my house!

[hlcater 1321]

2 minutes ago, Grizzcoat said:

Pushing 3" hr rates. Been in lake effect before and this is as close as IA gets to lake effect

And you were worried about underperforming. Glad things are working out for you over there!

[Sparky 1677]

2 minutes ago, Hawkeye said:

4.3" is very impressive.

I sent a 3” report to the NWS around a half hr ago so I’m around 2”+ per hour rates!

[BMT 349]

3.1” here so far in Marion 

[Hawkeye 4420]

Sparky, unfortunately, radar shows the mix lifting northeast and about to enter Johnson county.

[Beltrami Island 412]

51 minutes ago, FAR_Weather said:

Remember how I posted about the thin DGZ yesterday? That's biting me in the butt. Haven't seen any flakes that are larger than pea sized. Visibility is low but that's solely because of the wind. 23*F.

I'd say pretty typical for our area.  I always say the smaller the flakes the bigger the snow accumulation.  

[Sparky 1677]

Uh oh.... I hear pingers on the windows. I figured that red n orange on radar might be that!

[East Dubzz 1312]

Flake size continues to lack, but it sure is coming down out there! I wasn’t expecting the heaviest stuff to start up for a bit, so hopefully it improves with time.

[james1976 3934]

TWC is live from Des Moines

[FV-Mike 423]

visibility dropped quickly. grass is almost covered

[Hawkeye 4420]

3.9" here at 4pm.  The flakes are smallish, but very dense.  Thankfully, radar CC shows no mix anywhere close to hw30/Cedar Rapids.

[GDR 667]

This is insane at this rate a foot won’t be able to reach

[bud2380 3462]

Up to 4.8".  Easy 2"/hour rates now.  4.8" was actually was one of the smallest measurements I took.  Some spots 6-8", but likely just drifted a bit there.  We could easily pass 10".  

[Sparky 1677]

Visibility still is low with heavy snow/ sleet combo. I quickly took another measurement before it settles and I’m at nearly 5.5” . 
 

Just as I’m typing visibility has improved some with a few melted snow drops on the windows.

[Hawkeye 4420]

1 minute ago, bud2380 said:

Up to 4.8".  Easy 2"/hour rates now.  4.8" was actually was one of the smallest measurements I took.  Some spots 6-8", but likely just drifted a bit there.  We could easily pass 10".  

Are you at home in Tiffin or at work in sw Cedar Rapids?

[Sparky 1677]

30 minutes ago, Beltrami Island said:

I'd say pretty typical for our area.  I always say the smaller the flakes the bigger the snow accumulation.  

There’s a saying....”snow like meal it will snow a great deal“. Maybe since a larger system will have longer duration with smaller flakes.

[OmahaSnowFan 1241]

Our winter storm warning went until 6a TOMORROW MORNING. It was done snowing at 230p. What the hell were they thinking?

[james1976 3934]

3.8" now

[St Paul Storm 4012]

Pounding! Viz down to 0.5 mi. 1” down so far. 

[Hawkeye 4420]

This is pretty cool... it was already snowing heavily with small flakes, but now cotton balls just started dumping.... WOO.