Jan 12th-15th Clipper Systems

That was fun. Had a very nice mod to heavy period that lasted as expected about 15 minutes. Small flakes but falling very hard. Surfaces got decently white and I got it on video. That might be the highlight of the winter for me when it's all said and done. My dog was not particularly amused though.

Toot, looking at the radar, you are about to get absolutely nailed. Enjoy the ride!

John1122 wrote:It's funny how with some snow events the radar works fine over my area, but sometimes like now, it just appears the precip is being gobbled up as it hits about Fentress County and then usually will reappear as it starts heading towards the MRX area.

I guess it's just that some events see snow falling from lower in the atmosphere. This happened last December and I got about 5 inches and Fentress Co got nearly 8 and it didn't look like it had snowed a flake there by looking at the radar.

Regarding the radar not seeing snow on the plateau in some snow events while it does during other events, I can’t say for sure but it may be the result of subrefraction. Subrefraction occurs when the lapse rates are very steep and approach the dry adiabatic lapse rate. The lapse rates tonight are very close to dry adiabatic. Notice the low level lapse rate on the Skew-T.



Subrefraction makes the radar beam bend less than normal with distance (it will be higher than normal as you increase distance from the radar because it is curved less). So, the base level scan may be too high to hit the low based snow showers when it might normally detect them. The radar beam is really high by the time it gets to the Cumberland Plateau anyway, so subrefraction could make a difference. When the snow gets closer to MRX, the beam would low enough to hit the snow and it would reappear on radar. Obviously, upslope and downslope play a role as well but this may explain why each event is different on the radar. Again, I could be completely wrong but that is my best guess

Thanks for that explanation Math!

Snow is blowing around here, lots of flakes in the air but it's not very heavy. Have about 1/4th-1/2 inch. Not sure it's going to get much heavier either. Will be surprised if this one crosses an inch.

Math/Met that is fascinating, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts here bud!

I hope radar is missing something because it has fell off to nothing.

John1122 wrote:Thanks for that explanation Math!

Snow is blowing around here, lots of flakes in the air but it's not very heavy. Have about 1/4th-1/2 inch. Not sure it's going to get much heavier either. Will be surprised if this one crosses an inch.

Yeah, just some tiny flurries here and some extremely strong west winds. I don't know about this one either. I remember someone saying that the valley has a tough time with west winds. I guess we're getting downsloped here bc the precip just isn't making it up here. Starting to think the winds are gonna dry off the roads too, so there won't be any black ice of much consequence either. Geez what a tough winter.

light snow with a temp of 22 degrees. Time to take the doggies for a walk

As long as you follow the philosophy of:



You'll enjoy events like this.

I've had several surprises over the past 45 minutes. It's kind of nice that the radar is goofy. Makes my flakes like cakes instead of fakes!

I’m really hoping those stronger returns over northern Cocke Co hold together as they head my way. That should be fun.

ok, that was pretty cheesy, but hey I'm excited about snow, screw it!

I say, Stove Ole Boy, you could add some music to that Flakes, Cakes, and Fakes, and have a nice song!

Still lots of flakes in the air but they are very dry and not adding up to much. This one doesn't have the nice lakes moisture to work with really. I doubt many people outside the high mountains get more than an inch with this one.

I agree john... this one seems to be a bust

The radar was looking healthy at about Dandridge, then once the line hit Newport, POOF, weird.

Edit: And I think Toot just cliff dove...

Come back tooter, we hardly knew you!

A very nice snow band is moving through Greeneville right now. Just a dusting so far, but it is coming down hard at the moment.

Stovepipe wrote:And I think Toot just cliff dove...

Come back tooter, we hardly knew you!

lol

Win!

what about the stuff in middle tn?

Looks like some re-firing around Clarksville that is going to work its way East overnight.

We'll see what happens with it.

Well I am gona wait and see what the next one brings, reckon I got a little over an inch here, but I tell you one thing it's bloody a**, Freezin AS* cold outside, had to scrape the car windows to get ready to go pick up the wife from work, all the car doors are frozen shut. Finally pry one open. Wind gusting as high as 32 mph with a wind chill of 11 degrees. And the crazy part is, I LOVE it!!!

more snow showers firing up in the valley

Hey guys heavy snow here right now in Whitehouse roads and grass all covered big giant flakes.

CANNON-CLAY-COFFEE-CUMBERLAND-DE KALB-FENTRESS-GRUNDY-JACKSON-
MACON-MONTGOMERY-OVERTON-PICKETT-PUTNAM-ROBERTSON-SMITH-STEWART-
SUMNER-TROUSDALE-VAN BUREN-WARREN-WHITE-WILSON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALTAMONT...BYRDSTOWN...CARTHAGE...
CELINA...CLARKSVILLE...COOKEVILLE...CROSSVILLE...DOVER...
GAINESBORO...GALLATIN...HARTSVILLE...JAMESTOWN...LAFAYETTE...
LEBANON...LIVINGSTON...MANCHESTER...MCMINNVILLE...MOUNT JULIET...
SMITHVILLE...SPARTA...SPENCER...SPRINGFIELD...TULLAHOMA...
WOODBURY
905 PM CST THU JAN 12 2012

.NOW...
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT...

FOR LOCATIONS ACROSS NORTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE AND JUST WEST OF
AND INCLUDING THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU REGION...A BROAD AREA OF
LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE MOVING WEST TO THE EAST ACROSS
THIS AREA THROUGH MIDNIGHT. WITHIN THIS AREA...SOME PATCHES OF
MODERATE TO EVEN HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS WILL OCCUR...ESPECIALLY ACROSS
LOCATIONS NEAR THE TENNESSEE/KENTUCKY BORDER...PRODUCING BETWEEN
ONE HALF TO UP TO ONE INCH OF ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL. THIS ADDITIONAL
SNOWFALL WILL ENHANCE EVEN MORE THE ALREADY HAZARDOUS DRIVING
CONDITIONS ACROSS THIS AREA.

This headed your way guys. Check out the Nashville radar.