[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by rajmelk

Couldn't agree more. Lived in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland for 6 years...routinely averaging 80" of snow, and had only 2 days where school was closed. Genuinely disappointed with what passes for winter here in the Hartford area. Cuyahoga county had amazing snow removal and just a sense of "life goes on". Contrast that to this morning where 1-2" puts western CT into a skidfest!

You can even be from parts of the Northeast and feel that way about "the Coast".....draw a line from about the Catskill Mountains to Portland, ME (plus the Great Lakes portion of NY State) and I'm sure anyone north of it would feel the same way.

Originally Posted by Cambium

5.1 Inches paralyzed this area?? I busted out laughing...I guess we need 5 feet nowadays. LOL D.C Got a foot in this storm... Bolded part is the best..."Storm Paused & Strengthened Unexpectedly"

WHAT?? A foot of Snow In Washington D.C?? That Cant be. Thats not Average! Dont look at the average folks.

Did you know that 53 years ago a snowstorm virtually paralyzed southwestern Connecticut? Just about a half-foot of snow fell across the region, catching most everybody, including commuters and holiday shoppers, by surprise.


Officially, 5.1 inches of snow fell in Bridgeport on Wednesday, December 4, 1957, causing one of the greatest traffic jams in that city, according to The Bridgeport Post. The front-page article said that "Downtown streets were clogged with stalled traffic. The bumper-to-bumper situation persisted for five hours, delaying thousands of homeward-bound workers."

Many people were stranded temporarily when rides failed to show or scheduled buses ran well behind schedule. Bus lines and taxis reported many extra customers, but the traffic jam prevented them from reaching their destinations promptly. The New Haven Railroad reported that commuter trains were jammed all evening, but there were no train delays blamed on the storm.

Slowed to a snail's pace by the blinding snow, it took motorists an hour to an hour-and-a-half to travel from downtown Bridgeport to North Avenue. The greatest difficulty was crossing intersections clogged by autos inching along bumper-to-bumper. Cars standing in traffic for a prolonged period of time ran out of gas, adding to the confusion. Police noted numerous instances of car batteries and lights failing as cars stalled at intersections.

The weather bureau said a combination of unusual conditions caused the storm to pause at midday and strengthen a few hours later. The storm's intensification caught many people off guard and unprepared. The rapidly-falling snow created skidding hazards and all but erased the effects of the Department of Public Works' sanding operations earlier in the day.

The snowfall was the greatest in Bridgeport since a two-day storm in March of 1956 delivered 19.4 inches. Consider that the normal average snowfall for the entire month of December is 3.6 inches. Strong winds, especially during the evening and nighttime hours, caused considerable drifting of the snow. Winds gusted over 35 to 40 miles an hour.

I wonder how many people remember that storm? If you do, I'd like to hear from you. I can only imagine what it must have been like for stranded motorists. They sure don't make 'em like they used to!

You have to remember, FORECASTING was not as good/quick/accurate then. No satellites (though soon to come at that point, Sputnik just a year away.....), radar much less developed, etc. So if this storm came by surprise then 5" could be a big deal.

[Cambium]

There are still 2 storms to deal with. The first is a clipper Sunday. Second will be the big one or not on Monday Night or Tuesday.

If the clipper comes down and strengthens quicker than forecasted at the coastline then it will bring colder air for the second storm.

You see how many different variables can be in place.

The second storm right now strengthens to quick and allows the warm air to seep in. (40s)

it gets very cold again after the second storm. IF...the second storm slows down..then its big snowstorm but it still has to take a more easterly track.

Eyes. Gotta keep an eye on these 2.

[Cambium]

Kinda getting worried now... You wouldnt think of rain based on todays temps...it feels like teens out there.. But if this storm comes and its not cold enough for snow...im worried freezing rain will enter the mix and that is not what i want to see anywhere! Freezing rain is an absolute nightmare..

We could go from start of snow, to sleet to freezing rain back to snow.

We'll know more as time keep moving.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by Cambium

We could go from start of snow, to sleet to freezing rain back to snow.

In 12 years of living in CT, more than half of the snowfalls I have seen have either started as or ended as rain. In either case, it makes for a mess to clean out of the driveway.

CT: can't even do snow right.

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by Cambium

2 Different Model senarios.. Blue Rain...Red Snow... Where's Superman so he can blow it east...

Looks like its taking the blue track.... a 250 mile difference...

Keep in mind... Last years December Blizzard showed the same thing until 80 hours out(3days) and it changed to an easterly track and we got 1-2 feet of snow!

[htfdcolt]

This has BUST written all over it. Also I don't recall any December blizzard in 2009? Max snow we got in Hartford was 6" in one event early in the month...

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by rajmelk

This has BUST written all over it. Also I don't recall any December blizzard in 2009? Max snow we got in Hartford was 6" in one event early in the month...

You can click any one of the 2 big storms last "DECEMBER". Warm waters dont matter, averages are pointless. IT HAPPENS.

Lets wait 3 more days before calling it a bust. Couple models today took it more east. Need another 200 miles East!

When reading the details, doesn't it sound similar?

NCDC Storm Events-Select State (http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~storms - broken link)

Dec. 9th.
Description:
EPISODE NARRATIVE: A deep upper low tracking northeast through the Central United States was responsible for a rapidly intensifying low pressure system tracking into the Great Lakes. A strong upper level jet rounding up the East Coast induced secondary low pressure along an associated warm front off the Mid-Atlantic Coast. This low tracked northeast along the coast...producing a 6 to 8 hr period of heavy precipitation across the region. A marginally cold thermal profile and strong dynamics allowed for a 2 to 4 hr period of moderate to heavy snow across interior zones...with snowfall rates of 1 inch per hour. Snowfall amounts ranged from 6.8 at Seymour and Southbury, 6.0 at Bethany, and 6.0 at Waterbury.

Dec. 20th.
Description:
EPISODE NARRATIVE: Coastal low pressure rapidly intensified Saturday night as it tracked northeast from off the Delmarva Coast...just southeast of the 40N/70W benchmark and to southeast of Cape Cod by Sunday morning. This was in response to a powerful upper low approaching and then crossing south of the area. The track of low pressure to the southeast of the region and stubborn placement of arctic high pressure over the Northern US Plains and Southern Canadian Plains...ridging eastward...made for the ideal setup for heavy snow across most of the region. The rapid intensification of low pressure created near blizzard conditions along Southeastern Coastal Connecticut for several hours with northeast winds of 15 to 25 mph and gusts 35 to 40 mph and visibilities occasionally below mile. Snowfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour occurred with an intense mesoscale band that developed S of the region pivoted north into Southeastern Connecticut and then slowly pulled east through the overnight. Snow totals increased rapidly from northwest to southeast across the region...with 6 to 8 inches across Northern Fairfield???to around 2 ft across far Southeastern Connecticut.

[Cambium]

Everyone chant after me...EAST EAST EAST!

[Cambium]

Im still amazed the models pick up these storms almost 2 weeks in advance.. Thats amazing to me.

[Cambium]

December 07, 2010 Model Update: 5 Days Away.

The JMA model shows the idea of a storm moving across the Ohio Valley with a reflection of the low trying to go up west of the mountains and the redevelopment of the storm over the mid-Atlantic. The storm heads straight now and explodes as it does so.

Euro has been consistant cutting the storm west up through the Great Lakes

GFS dancing all over the place still.