WINTER STORM WARNING ISSUED
Winter Storm Warning
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 311 PM EST WED DEC 15 2010 ...SNOW...POSSIBLY MIXED WITH SLEET AND LIGHT FREEZING RAIN LATE TONIGHT AND THURSDAY... .A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE MID-MISSISSIPPI TONIGHT AND THEN INTO THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION ON THURSDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL SPREAD WINTER WEATHER ACROSS MOST OF THE REGION BEGINNING LATE TONIGHT...AND ESPECIALLY ON THURSDAY. AT THIS TIME...THE HEAVIEST SNOW AMOUNTS APPEAR TO BE FOCUSED OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTH-CENTRAL VIRGINIA...INCLUDING THE INTERSTATE 95 CORRIDOR. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SNOW TO MIX WITH OR CHANGE OVER TO SLEET AND LIGHT FREEZING RAIN THURSDAY AFTERNOON... MAINLY NEAR THE NORTH CAROLINA BORDER. VAZ048-060>062-065>071-079>082-087>089-161030- /O.UPG.KAKQ.WS.A.0006.101216T0900Z-101217T0000Z/ /O.NEW.KAKQ.WS.W.0005.101216T0900Z-101217T0000Z/ FLUVANNA-PRINCE EDWARD-CUMBERLAND-GOOCHLAND-MECKLENBURG-LUNENBURG- NOTTOWAY-AMELIA-POWHATAN-CHESTERFIELD-HENRICO-BRUNSWICK-DINWIDDIE- PRINCE GEORGE-CHARLES CITY-GREENSVILLE-SUSSEX-SURRY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FARMVILLE...GOOCHLAND...SOUTH HILL... CREWE...COLONIAL HEIGHTS...RICHMOND...LAWRENCEVILLE... PETERSBURG...HOPEWELL...EMPORIA...WAKEFIELD 311 PM EST WED DEC 15 2010 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. * ACCUMULATION...2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW. * ICE AMOUNTS...A TRACE TO ONE TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE IS POSSIBLE...MAINLY TOWARD THE NORTH CAROLINA BORDER THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. * TIMING: LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING. * IMPACTS: HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW... SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.
It appears that before the potentially large winter storm this weekend, Richmond is slated for a glancing blow by a system coming out of the Rockies early Thursday into Thursday night. The temperature profiles for the system seem to indicate a snow event for Richmond, but some of the local meteorologists and NWS are calling for some mixing (a changeover to sleet and freezing rain). The NWS is currently expecting 2″-4″ of snow, and we could get as much as 3″-6″ before all is said and done. Mixing issue Thursday evening could limit accumulations. Snow is expected to begin around 9AM tomorrow morning.
Below is the 00z GFS from 12/15/2010. It shows us in .25-.50 liquid precip, which is roughly 2.5″-5″ of snow.
18Z NAM: