Friday, March 8, 2013

March 9-10 Significant Winter Storm

A significant snow event is unfolding in the Plains in the next few days.

Surface analysis indicates that the storm system responsible for this snowstorm is currently producing precipitation in the Southwest, with thunderstorms in lower elevations and snowy weather in the mountains. High resolution model forecasts indicate that mesoscale bands of heavy snow will make for intense accumulations in portions of Nebraska. These high resolution models, like the one shown above, projects these bands to lay down a general 8-14'', with isolated forecasts holding as much as 24 inches in very scattered areas in these bands. I am skeptical of these mesoscale (small scale) heavy snow events, because models never tend to do the best with these situations. I would be prepared for over a foot of snow across all of Nebraska, because we won't know where the heaviest bands set up until the event is happening.

Andrew