Groundhog Day Blizzard brings Travel Chaos!
A large winter storm forecast to unfold could adversely affect more than 100 million people this week from the Rockies to the Plains, South, Midwest and Northeast, if it develops to its full potential.
The latest indications continue to point toward a large storm forming amidst a building temperature contrast over the middle of the nation. Precipitation and strong cold air/warm air circulation around that storm will affect many millions of people from the interior West to the Atlantic Coast as next week progresses.
We are calling this system the Groundhog Day storm, and it will likely severely impact ground travel, and lead to canceled flights, school delays and closures. The storm is not only a concern for Wednesday, but for much of the week as the system moves along.
Warm air that built over the Plains this past week will be dramatically replaced by a charge of arctic air that will lead to blinding upslope snow along the High Plains and the Front Range of the Rockies.
As the cold air charges southward and becomes more shallow, a substantial ice storm may unfold for portions of the southern Plains. Meteorologist and former resident of the southern Plains, Heather Buchman, states, "This is the type of storm that could shut down the region with high winds, plunging temperatures, ice, snow and a rapid freeze-up on roads."
Expert Senior Meteorologist John Kocet points out, "Some parts of the Plains and Rockies may have a daily temperature drop of 50 degrees or more, caused by the storm."
If the storm develops to its full potential, parts of the Plains will experience life-threatening AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures.
Nasty cold air, marked by near- or below-zero temperatures, could possibly grip areas during the day as arctic high pressure builds over the northern Rockies and Plains as the storm passes by.
The charge of cold air clashing with warm air will likely lead to heavy, perhaps severe, thunderstorms sweeping eastward through parts of the Mississippi Valley and South.
Depending on the storm's configuration as it heads to the eastern half of the nation, a zone of heavy snow and ice may form from parts of the Ohio Valley to the Northeast.
Depending on the track of the storm and how quickly it re-forms along the Atlantic Coast, heavy snow could blast part of the Great Lakes and much of the Northeast.
Some benefits from the storm would be more needed rain in the Deep South, moisture for the southern Plains, and the stirring out of fog over parts of the interior West.
How nasty the storm gets and the primary form of precipitation for the Northeast, Midwest, interior South, and Plains depend on the exact track of the storm.
The storm will have many negative effects, especially in parts of the Northeast, where snow-removal budgets are blown and roofs are stressed to the failure point from the magnitude of prior, record-breaking snowstorms.
According to AccuWeather.com Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams, "Kids in portions of Kentucky have missed over two weeks of school already this winter."
Meteorologist Mark Mancuso stated, "This storm and perhaps a second storm could impact travel to the Super Bowl in Dallas next weekend, potentially from areas of ice, snow, high winds and cold."
Keep checking in at AccuWeather.com for updates on this storm that will threaten lives and property.
Multi-Day Dangerous, Destructive Winter Storm
by Tim Ballisty, Editorial Meteorologist
A multi-day, multi-region potentially historic and destructive winter storm will unleash its fury beginning Monday and will last through Wednesday.
When everything is said and done, the storm may very well impact a third of the population of the United States; approximately 100 million people.
Its reach will be felt from the Front Range of the Colorado Rockies to the Ohio Valley to the coast of New England.
Accompanied with the winter storm will be a severe thunderstorm threat across the South capable of producing damaging winds, hail and a few tornadoes.
Our Midwest storm coverage will be categorized into the four factors: heavy snow, destructive ice, tornadoes and bitter cold. To find out more on the various factors, click on each of the images above.
Não é a AO que arrefece a America...a AO- tende a arrefecer todo o cinturão subtropical/temperado e a aquecer o Polo, enquanto a AO+ faz o oposto....e em breve entraremos numa AO+...embora a NAO ainda esteja numa fase pouco estavel, que pode ainda gerar padrões anomalos lá ( e cá)
Major winter storm sweeps across US and Canada
A bitter winter storm stretching 2,000 miles (3,200km) is crippling swathes of the US and Canada with heavy snow, rain and high winds.
Authorities warned the "potentially killer blizzard" could pummel Chicago through the morning.
Environment Canada warned as much as 20cm of snow could pound southern Ontario near Lake Erie.
More than 250,000 homes are without power and the US National Weather Service has warned against travel.
Chicago is expected to be hit by up to three feet (91cm) of snow, prompting authorities to call the city's first "snow day" for public schools in 12 years.
Illinois state police said much of the state's road system was impassable, and around Chicago, authorities closed major interstate highways and the area's commuter rail system.
The National Weather Service warned of "zero visibility" and bluntly warned Americans in at least four states: "Do not travel."
"Ask yourself if getting to your destination is worth risking your life," the official US government weather information service advised Chicagoans.
The service said the storm would hit the mid-Atlantic or north-east regions late on Wednesday before heading to Nova Scotia in Canada's maritime provinces.
"The storm has produced blizzard conditions with snow and blowing snow across the Central Plains. Total snowfall accumulations of one to two feet of snow are expected for a large swathe of the central and north-eastern states," it advised.
Heavy freezing rain was expected south and east of the snow area, the service said.
In Toronto, more schools were closed for snow than for any storm since 1999, CBC news reported.
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1740The great Groundhog's Day Blizzard of 2011 continues to pound a huge swath of the U.S. with heavy snows, destructive freezing rain, and dangerously cold and windy conditions. Over 1/2” of ice has caused power outages in Indianapolis, and up to .9” of ice has hit Columbus, Ohio. Ice amounts in excess of 1/2” have also affected Illinois, Connecticut, New Jersey New York, and Pennsylvania. Blizzard conditions continue in Chicago, where heavy snows of up to two inches per hour in high winds have crippled the city's transportation system. As of 9am CST this morning, Chicago's O'Hare Airport had received 19.5” of snow, making it city's third greatest snowstorm on record. Only the January 2 - 4 1999 blizzard (21.6") and January 2 – 4, 1967 blizzard (23”) have dumped more snow on Chicago. Today's blizzard had stronger winds than Chicago's other two record snowstorms, and thus this storm is probably the worst snowstorm ever to affect the city, as far as impacts on travel go. Huge drifts in excess of 6 feet are common in the city, and residents are finding it difficult to leave their houses, much less travel on area roads. Winds last night at Chicago's Calumet Harbor were sustained at tropical storm force, 39 mph, with gusts to 51 mph, and high winds tore off part of a fiberboard roof panel behind home plate at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. The Chicago buoy, 10 miles offshore in Lake Michigan, had sustained winds of 54 mph, gusting to 66 mph, last night. Winds are slowly decreasing across Chicago, and the blizzard will be over by early afternoon.
Figure 1. Lake Shore Drive in downtown Chicago on the night of February 1, 2011. Image credit: Viewer uploaded photo from WGN.
According to the National Weather Service, since snow records began in 1886 in Chicago, there have been 43 winter storms that produced 10 inches or more of snow. A 10 inch snow occurs about once every 3 years. A 15 inch snow occurs only once about every 20 years. The closest back to back 10 inch
snows were March 25-26 and April 1-2, 1970 (6 days apart). The longest period of time without a 10 inch snow or greater was February 12, 1981 to January 1, 1999 (almost 18 years). The earliest 10 inch snow was November 25-26, 1895 and the latest 10 inch snow was April 1-2, 1970. The most recent 10 inch snow was January 9-10, 2009.
Chicago's 10 biggest Snowstorms:
1. 23.0 inches Jan 26-27, 1967
2. 21.6 inches Jan 1-3, 1999
3. 19.5 inches Feb 1-2, 2011
4. 19.2 inches Mar 25-26, 1930
5. 18.8 inches Jan 13-14, 1979
6. 16.2 inches Mar 7-8, 1931
7. 15.0 inches Dec 17-20, 1929
8. 14.9 inches Jan 30, 1939
9. 14.9 inches Jan 6-7, 1918
10. 14.3 inches Mar 25-26, 1970
The great storm's fury now turns to New England. Boston received 9.7” of snow as of 7am from the storm, and another 4 – 8” is on the way today. Heavy snows in excess of 6 inches are expected in a swath extending from central New York through Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine today. Up to 1/4” of ice is expected through New England along the southern edge of the heavy snow belt. Cities near the coast such as New York City and Philadelphia will receive mostly rain from the storm, though.
Some selected snowfall totals from the Groundhog's Day Blizzard of 2011, as of 9am EST:
Spring Grove, IL 20.8”
Miami, OK 20”
Jefferson City, MO 18.3”
S. Fort Scott, KS 18”
Tulsa, OK 15”
Schenectady, NY 9.6”
Boston, MA 9.7”
Detroit, MI 7.5”
Oklahoma City, OK 7”
West Hartford, CT 6.5”
Abilene, TX 6”
Cedar Rapids, IA 4.5”
Figure 2. Satellite image of the Groundhog's Day Blizzard of 2011, taken at 10am EST February 2. Image credit: NASA/GSFC.
