3/22 - 3/23 Spring Clipper

[Geos]

NAM went towards the HRRR as well.

 

[Madtown]

Well we'll see what's on the ground in the morning. Thinkin 4 for sure.

[Tom]

Highest total I can find thus far...this area is probably close to 9-10" by now...

 

 

 

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1018 PM CDT SUN MAR 22 2015

..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..

1017 PM SNOW 2 W PRIOR LAKE 44.73N 93.47W
03/22/2015 M8.5 INCH SCOTT MN NWS EMPLOYEE

[Tom]

I would not be surprised if this Clipper system sets some daily snowfall records...parts of SE MN may see even more snow mid week from the next storm system.

[Maxim]

Probably close to 3" at ORD by now.

[Madtown]

Unreal here haven't measured yet but judging by the patio table I think a solid 8 is down.

[Geos]

11.7" fell at Prairie du Chien. Highest total I saw.

 

About 2" here now. Snow is not 10:1 ratio. Has been falling heavy at times.

[Meichel]

4"+ IMBY and still coming down at a good clip.

 

Surprise day off, and the kids are on Spring Break. Sledding it is!

[Snowshoe]

0700 AM     HEAVY SNOW       3 SSE STEUBEN           43.13N 90.84W

03/23/2015  M10.0 INCH       CRAWFORD           WI   CO-OP OBSERVER



...CRAWFORD COUNTY...

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN 13.0 IN 0700 AM 03/23 43.05N/91.13W

LYNXVILLE DAM 9 10.0 IN 0600 AM 03/23 43.21N/91.10W



...GRANT COUNTY...

FENNIMORE 15.0 IN 0734 AM 03/23 42.98N/90.66W

LANCASTER 11.0 IN 0700 AM 03/23 42.85N/90.71W

[Hawkeye]

Congrats on the nice late March snowfall.  There are some pretty impressive totals.  Here in Cedar Rapids we got freezing rain overnight that put a nice glaze on everything.  It's the most ice we've had all season.  Seeing 8-12 inches of snow would be pretty cool, but I'm glad I didn't get any because I'm done with snow and don't want to have to shovel anymore.

[Troop]

Nice surprise finish to a winter that was often lackluster in the snow department. Have seen 2.5" here in NW IL. Now headed up to Granite Peak for some late season skiing - today starts their "Avalanche Days" so this snow came at a great time. Gotta enjoy winter while we still can.

[Snowshoe]

Sorry Troop but there's no fresh snow up this way but i'm sure the Peak will have plenty of snow left for you to play with!

[Tom]

4.5" IMBY and rippin' nicely.  Close to 1/4 mile visibility.  Pretty cold system to have produced such snowfall totals this time of year.  I agree Geo's, snow ratios are prob close to 12:1 with temps in the upper 20's.  Kinda surprised this snow event wasn't more of a wetter snow.  I'll take it!  The peaceful ambiance a snow storm can bring to a human being.  Love it!

 

Crazy to see how heavily the snow is falling outside right now!  Glad I didn't book my trip to AZ yet, that's probably going to happen this week sometime.

[Tom]

ORD may come close to avg snowfall for March (5.6") with this system.

 

Fennimore, WI with 15"...here are some more reports:

 

 

12.5" Dodgeville WI 11.5" Dorchester IA 9.0" Decorah IA

 

[Tom]

Tweet from Mike Hamernick:  "Mid-level frontogenesis is just about off the charts. 1 of the reasons we were concerned about heavy snow yesterday."

 

 

[james1976]

Wow, cant believe how much snow fell with this storm. It all went around me though. That is an impressive clipper.

[Tom]

Woah!  Just saw a report that Lightning (Thundersnow) was reported at 5:00am at the Dekalb airport!

[Tom]

I'd say it is snowing just as heavily as it was during the SP Blizzard, but without the wind.  Pretty amazing.  Nice fluff to the snow as well so it will be easy to shovel away.

[Tom]

5.8" and counting....looks like the back edge is trying to fill in.  Might have another hour or so of mod/heavy snow from I-90 corridor and points south.

[Tom]

GoSaints, what was your storm total???

[Tony]

What a way to bring in the first full week of spring but unfortunately not un-common for these parts and hoping it is the last.

[Tom]

What a way to bring in the first full week of spring but unfortunately not un-common for these parts and hoping it is the last.

How much do you have so far?  Looking at the radar, it is snowing pretty heavily out by you.

[Tony]

How much do you have so far?  Looking at the radar, it is snowing pretty heavily out by you.

I did not have a chance to measure but guessing easily over 6" now and still snowing at a moderate pace. Had at least 1" per hr rates going for about 3 hours there.

[Tom]

I did not have a chance to measure but guessing easily over 6" now and still snowing at a moderate pace. Had at least 1" per hr rates going for about 3 hours there.

Nice...I'm sitting at a little over 6" and if ORD can sit under that heavier band for another hour or so, it will come close to tying or breaking the daily snowfall record which is around 7".

[BLIZZARD09]

Sitting at 5 inches here. Hey Tom has been telling us all month winter was not over , and many of us did not beleive!

[Tom]

Sitting at 5 inches here. Hey Tom has been telling us all month winter was not over , and many of us did not beleive!

I love it when Nature proves the point!  The kinda juice this system has produced would be more common to see Dec-Feb, let alone late March.  Not the last wintry system our region will see over the next 2 weeks.  Not saying Chicago will see more snow, it's possible, but may end up being farther west/north next time.

[Geos]

Nice reports this morning. I am not sure how much has fallen at home, but I should be able to get a fairly accurate measurement even when I get home. It doesn't look like it will crack freezing today. Probably close to 4" I'm thinking.

 

Only about 2" in Racine, barely. Roads were the biggest mess south of Kenosha this morning with several accidents. Roads were snowy, wet as opposed to snowy, dry which is usually better for traction. I guess some people forgot how to drive in snow over the last two weeks!

[Tom]

6.5" IMBY...LOT prob should have gone with a WSW instead.  A lot of ppl did not believe it would snow this much and were caught off guard.  I heard the commute to work was a nightmare this morning.

[Tony]

Looks like one more batch to come through before it comes to an end. Pretty impressive system I have to say...plenty of juice for a clipper but it is March so they do tend to be stronger.

[Jaycee]

The one time I decide to go home for spring break, we get clocked. About 8" imby here in Red Wing, yet in the city they only got about 4". Crazy difference, that snowband last night punished anyone in between here and Rochester and up towards the southeastern suburbs of the cities. It's beautiful out there though!

[Geos]

Picture from earlier north of Kenosha. This area only less than half of what I have at home though.

 

[Maxim]

Sitting at 5 inches here. Hey Tom has been telling us all month winter was not over , and many of us did not beleive!

I don't think anybody made the call that wintry weather was over.

[Money]

Actually majority of people did including you.

[Tom]

Tulips are wondering...where is Spring???  About 6.8" IMBY...got my cardio in for the day that took about an hour to shovel both my front yard and deck.  My neighbor's already packed away their snow blowers for the season and weren't to enthusiastic about using it again this year.

 

 

[Yerf]

Latest reports in the Chicago area

 

http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=lot&product=lsr&issuedby=LOT&format=CI&version=1&glossary=0

[Tom]

I think there will be more 6-7" totals showing up later today.  Kane/DuPage/Cook county was in the heavier band of snowfall for a longer period of time.

[BLIZZARD09]

Tom- why were all the forecasts way underdone for this storm?

[Tom]

Tom- why were all the forecasts way underdone for this storm?

Actually, the RPM/NAM handled the shift farther north and east quite well.  The frontogenesis was very strong and the models underestimated the strength and duration from a couple days ago.  I remember the models had the band fizzle out as it headed east towards N IL.  Also, the warm and moist air from the south helped feed the system more moisture.  Lastly, the models under played the amount of cold air associated with this system.  Higher snow ratios resulted in more snow.

[Geos]

Actually, the RPM/NAM handled the shift farther north and east quite well.  The frontogenesis was very strong and the models underestimated the strength and duration from a couple days ago.  I remember the models had the band fizzle out as it headed east towards N IL.  Also, the warm and moist air from the south helped feed the system more moisture.  Lastly, the models under played the amount of cold air associated with this system.  Higher snow ratios resulted in more snow.

 

Hey - I was trying to figure out if I got 3" or a bit more. How much compaction have you seen today? An official report about 2 miles away had 4.6" and I'm thinking I got closer to 4", but not sure since I couldn't measure until now.

[Tom]

Hey - I was trying to figure out if I got 3" or a bit more. How much compaction have you seen today? An official report about 2 miles away had 4.6" and I'm thinking I got closer to 4", but not sure since I couldn't measure until now.

I've been measuring on my deck and it has compacted about 1.0"-1.25".  The measurements some are taking I think were done on cement/street levels that allowed more melting.  My current snow depth is 5.5".