March 5, 2015: Rain to Sleet/Snow?
Tag Archives: rain to snow
November 26, 2014: Rain to Snow?
A low-pressure system is expected to develop off the Florida coast Tuesday that will run up the eastern seaboard on Wednesday, causing a wide variety of precipitation types in Virginia. The precipitation could end as a period of rain/snow or even snow. At this point, there is no expected accumulation.
Observation Update: A changeover to some snow and rain occurred for about an hour on 11/26/14 from 3-4 PM. No measurable precipitation fell.
November 13, 2014: Rain to Snow?
A quick batch of rain, mixed with sleet and some snow, came in behind an arctic front during the evening hours. No accumulation was observed. This serves as the first wintry precipitation observed for the 2014-2015 winter season.
March 25, 2014: Snow to Rain, then Snow?
An impressive low-pressure system will develop off the Georgia coast tomorrow morning and race northeastward towards New England. The track of this storm will situate the brunt of its precipitation offshore. However, a period of light snow tomorrow morning and tomorrow evening may give Central Virginia a light dusting of snow.
Hazardous Weather Outlook
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
628 AM EDT MON MAR 24 2014
VAZ060-064>086-251030-
PRINCE EDWARD-CAROLINE-MECKLENBURG-LUNENBURG-NOTTOWAY-AMELIA-
POWHATAN-CHESTERFIELD-HENRICO-KING WILLIAM-KING AND QUEEN-ESSEX-
WESTMORELAND-RICHMOND-NORTHUMBERLAND-LANCASTER-BRUNSWICK-DINWIDDIE-
PRINCE GEORGE-CHARLES CITY-NEW KENT-GLOUCESTER-MIDDLESEX-MATHEWS-
628 AM EDT MON MAR 24 2014
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL VIRGINIA…EAST
CENTRAL VIRGINIA…SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA…THE MIDDLE PENINSULA OF
VIRGINIA…THE NORTHERN NECK OF VIRGINIA AND THE PIEDMONT OF
CENTRAL VIRGINIA.
.DAY ONE…TODAY AND TONIGHT.
COLD CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WILL RESULT IN WELL BELOW NORMAL
TEMPERATURES TODAY.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE SOUTHEAST COAST TONIGHT AND
INTENSIFY RAPIDLY AS IT MOVES OFF THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST ON
TUESDAY. A PERIOD OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA TUESDAY
MORNING BEFORE TRANSITIONING TO A RAIN AND SNOW MIX TUESDAY
AFTERNOON. A BRIEF PERIOD OF SNOW IS ALSO POSSIBLE LATE TUESDAY AS
COLDER AIR SURGES INTO THE REGION. A LIGHT ACCUMULATION IS
POSSIBLE.
IN ADDITION…GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS BETWEEN 20 TO 30 MPH WILL
DEVELOP TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. WIND CHILLS WEDNESDAY MORNING
WILL DROP INTO THE MID TEENS.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT…
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
March, 17, 2014: Observations
Church Hill Storm Observation Summary:
* Place – Time: Church Hill, (3/17/2014)
* Temperature: 29-35, During Event
* Winter Weather Watch/Warning/Advisory: Watch & Advisory
* Closings: None
* Predicted Totals: Ranged from 2-4” initialed, downgraded to less than 1” on Sunday night.
* Road Conditions: All roads were primarily wet during the event.
* Precipitation Description: A mix of rain to sleet, followed by freezing rain, sleet and snow during the overnight hours. Additional freezing rain and sleet fell during the morning hours of 3/17/2014.
* Total Precipitation: Approximately 0.5″ of snow, sleet and ice accumulation. Snow, sleet and freezing rain accumulated on elevated surfaces. 0.6″ was reported at Richmond airport.
* Comments: A low sliding through the Tennessee Valley towards the coast of Virginia delivered a late season winter storm event to the Richmond area. A cold air wedge developed on Sunday afternoon that slowly changed rain over to sleet during the late evening and overnight hours. Periods of sleet, snow, freezing rain and rain continued through the morning and early afternoon hours. Impacts from snow and ice to the Richmond area were minimal from this storm. However, areas to the north saw increased snow totals between 2-8” towards Fredericksburg & DC.
Snowfall Totals:
Photos:
NWS Forecast, Day of Event:
March 17, 2014: Rain to Snow?
More information to follow.
March 3, 2014: Rain to Significant Snow?
A major winter storm is shaping up for the Ohio Valley and Northeast that will come through Central Virginia on Sunday into Monday. Trends now indicate that Richmond could even see some significant snowfall, per the NWS forecast this morning:
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 434 AM EST SAT MAR 1 2014 MDZ021>025-VAZ048-049-060>064-066>078-080>086-090-091-099-100-020945- DORCHESTER-WICOMICO-SOMERSET-INLAND WORCESTER-MARYLAND BEACHES- FLUVANNA-LOUISA-PRINCE EDWARD-CUMBERLAND-GOOCHLAND-HANOVER-CAROLINE- LUNENBURG-NOTTOWAY-AMELIA-POWHATAN-CHESTERFIELD-HENRICO-KING WILLIAM- KING AND QUEEN-ESSEX-WESTMORELAND-RICHMOND-NORTHUMBERLAND-LANCASTER- DINWIDDIE-PRINCE GEORGE-CHARLES CITY-NEW KENT-GLOUCESTER-MIDDLESEX- MATHEWS-JAMES CITY-YORK-ACCOMACK-NORTHAMPTON VA- 434 AM EST SAT MAR 1 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE LOWER EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...EAST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA...THE MIDDLE PENINSULA OF VIRGINIA...THE NORTHERN NECK OF VIRGINIA...THE PENINSULA OF SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA AND THE PIEDMONT OF CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. A POTENT WINTER STORM SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE REGION ON MONDAY. SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW AND SLEET WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING THE DAY MONDAY...BEFORE THE PRECIPITATION COMES TO AN END MONDAY EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
February 12-13, 2014: Observations (Pax)
Event Updates:
As of 3:30 PM on 2/13, there is approximately 1.5″ of snow/sleet on the majority of surfaces in Church Hill. Temperature continues to slowly fall and is hovering at 34 degrees Fahrenheit. Rain has changed to sleet and now snow.
Church Hill Storm Observation Summary:
* Place – Time: Church Hill, (2/13/2014)
* Temperature: 25-37, During Event
* Winter Weather Watch/Warning/Advisory: Warning
* Closings: Chesterfield Government Closed on 2/13/14
* Road Conditions: All roads covered during event, primary roads cleared by the morning of 2/13. However, secondary roads were still partially snow covered.
* Precipitation Description: Snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain. Initial snow was very fine and powdery snowflakes. Event transitioned from snow to sleet near 11 PM on 2/12. Sleet changed to freezing rain by 1:00 AM on 2/13/14. Rain and Drizzle followed during the early morning hours until 2 PM on 2/13/14. Sleet and the sleet to snow transitioned back into Richmond by 3:30 PM.
* Total Precipitation: 5.75″ (4.25” of snow on 2/12, 1.5″ of snow on 2/13). Approximately 0.25″ of sleet. Minor accumulations of freezing rain. 3.7″ inches of snow was reported at the airport on 2/12, 2.1″ inches of snow was reported at the airport on 2/12 for a total of 5.8″. Snowfall totals were heavier towards the peidmont and mountains in western Virginia (6-21” was common).
* Comments: Snow began near 4 PM at the Chesterfield Courthouse on 2/12/14. Nearly .75″ had accumulated by 5:30 PM when I left work. My commute home took nearly an hour, which is about twice as long as it normally takes. Heavy snow occurred for about an hour between 9-10 PM when about an inch of snow fell. The precipitation quickly transitioned to sleet. Freezing rain then set in late in the evening after I went to bed. As the storm wrapped up on 2/13, drizzle changed to a brief round of heavy sleet and rain with two loud rumbles of thunder. An hour later, the second round of precipatation hit with moderate to heavy snowfall. The snow tapered off by 7 PM dropping another 1.5″ of snow.
Snowfall Totals:
Videos:
NWS Special Weather Statement:
Special Weather Statement
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 358 PM EST THU FEB 13 2014 VAZ063-070>072-080>083-132230- HANOVER-CHESTERFIELD-HENRICO-KING WILLIAM-DINWIDDIE-PRINCE GEORGE- CHARLES CITY-NEW KENT- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ASHLAND...COLONIAL HEIGHTS...RICHMOND... PETERSBURG...HOPEWELL 358 PM EST THU FEB 13 2014 ...A BAND OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW TO MOVE ACROSS THE INTERSTATE 95 CORRIDOR THROUGH 530 PM... A BAND OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW WILL MOVE ACROSS THE INTERSTATE 95 CORRIDOR FROM THE TRI-CITIES TO RICHMOND THRU 530 PM. THE SNOW WILL COME DOWN HARD ENOUGH TO REDUCE THE VISIBILITY TO AROUND ONE QUARTER MILE AND QUICKLY COVER ROAD SURFACES. A COATING TO UP TO ONE INCH OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE WITH THIS BAND OF SNOW. MOTORISTS SHOULD USE CAUTION AND SLOW DOWN IF TRAVELING LATE THIS AFTERNOON. BE PREPARED FOR POOR VISIBILITIES AND SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS. $$ JM
December 10, 2013: Forecast for Rain to Snow
It looks like another small system will being pushing through Central Virginia tomorrow morning into the early afternoon hours. The NWS has the following information:
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY MORNING/... QUICK UPDATE TO ACCOUNT FOR SHRAS ALONG THE FRONTAL BAND, WHICH HAVE GENERALLY DIMINISHED...LEAVING ONLY SOME PATCHY LIGHT RAIN/DZ ACROSS SE TIER OF COUNTIES. MEANWHILE, SOME MID/UPPER DRYING HAS ENTERED EASTERN WV/WESTERN VA HAS ALLOWED FOR SOME AREAS OF FOG OVER THE PIEDMONT...PRIMARILY WHERE CAD WEDGE WAS STRONGEST OVER THE WEEKEND. DID SLOW ONSET OF POP SLIGHTLY ACROSS OUR MD ZONES. OVERALL, MUCH OF PREVIOUS FORECAST REMAINS UNCHANGED. LATER TONIGHT...A VIGOROUS TROUGH (PRESENTLY DIVING SE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS) WILL REACH THE MIDWEST. THIS WILL ALLOW -RA TO RE-DEVELOP ALONG THE MOIST FRONTAL BAND AS IT LIFTS BACK NORTHWARD. ACCORDINGLY, WL SHOW INCREASE IN POP LATE ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA (ASIDE FROM THE LOWER MD EASTERN SHORE) LATER TONIGHT. TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN STEADY IN THE MID/UPPER 40S SE OVERNIGHT...WHILE LOWS SHOULD REACH THE LOW/MID 30S NW WITH SHORT LIVED CLEARING. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE AFOREMENTIONED TROUGH GENERATES A POWERFUL 180KT (GEOSTROPHIC WIND) 300MB JET...THAT RACES ENE ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY TUESDAY MORNING. THIS INDUCES A BAND OF STRONG FRONTOGENESIS ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC TUESDAY MORNING ALONG WITH ROBUST UPWARD VERTICAL MOTION. ADDITIONALLY...THERE IS DECENT MOISTURE ADVECTION AHEAD OF THE TROUGH. MODEL CROSS-SECTIONS (NAM/GFS) INDICATE A RATHER CLASSIC SLOPING FRONTAL ZONE WITH STRONG FRONTOGENESIS FROM THE SURFACE TO AROUND 600MB. IN ADDITION...MODESTLY NEGATIVE EPV VALUES AND NEUTRAL THETA-E LAPSE RATES INDICATE A POTENTIAL FOR SYMMETRIC INSTABILITY. ALL THIS COMBINED SUPPORTS THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY BANDED PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION. AT THIS TIME...THE STRONGEST BAND APPEARS TO SET-UP NEAR THE FAR NORTHERN PORTION OF THE AKQ CWA. GIVEN THE STRENGTH OF THE SYSTEM...THERE SHOULD BE LITTLE DIFFICULTY CHANGING THE PRECIP OVER TO SNOW (DRIVING SURFACE TEMPS DOWN TO THE WET-BULB...WHICH WL BE ~ 30-32F)...BUT THERE COULD BE A MIX WITH SLEET EARLY DUE TO RESIDUAL MID-LEVEL WARM AIR. SNOW AMOUNTS SHOULD RANGE FROM 1-3IN ACROSS THE FAR N (LOCALIZED AMOUNTS AROUND 4 ARE POSSIBLE)...AND TAPERING TO AN INCH OR LESS IN VICINITY OF A LINE FROM FVX-RIC- WAL. AN ADVISORY HAS BEEN RAISED FOR THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE AREA. DRIER AIR QUICKLY COMES IN FROM THE WEST DURING THE AFTERNOON AND THIS SHOULD BRING A QUICK END TO PRECIPITATION. HIGH PRESSURE FINALLY BUILDS IN FROM THE NW TUESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY BRINGING DRIER BUT VERY COLD CONDITIONS. LOWS TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY NIGHT SHOULD RANGE FROM THE UPPER TEENS TO LOW 20S NW...TO THE LOW 30S NC COAST...WITH HIGHS WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY ONLY IN THE UPPER 30S TO LOWER 40S FOR MOST AREAS.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 350 PM EST MON DEC 9 2013 VAZ060-061-067>071-078-082-083-085-099-102100- PRINCE EDWARD-CUMBERLAND-NOTTOWAY-AMELIA-POWHATAN-CHESTERFIELD- HENRICO-LANCASTER-CHARLES CITY-NEW KENT-MIDDLESEX-ACCOMACK- 350 PM EST MON DEC 9 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL VIRGINIA...EAST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA...THE MIDDLE PENINSULA OF VIRGINIA...THE NORTHERN NECK OF VIRGINIA AND THE PIEDMONT OF CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. RAIN WILL TRANSITION TO A MIX OF SNOW AND SLEET LATER TUESDAY MORNING...BEFORE BECOMING ALL SNOW EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON. AN INCH OR LESS OF SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED...MAINLY ON ELEVATED AND NON-PAVED SURFACES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
March 24, 2013: Forecast for Rain & Sleet to Snow
This storm was a pleasant early spring surprise since it was totally unexpected for me. I arrived back from a Hawaiian cruise on the March 24th. Josh and I had to drive from Dulles back to Richmond. As we approached Richmond on I-95, the steady rain turned to snow. The snow came down incredibly fast. Unfortunately, I forgot to do an official forecast and observation post for this event, but did take a measurement of 3.75″ at the end of the event. I’ve posted some videos below of the event as well as the NWS graphic depicting area totals.
