Large winter storm coming

--M. said:

I feel like Imelda Marcos with the footwear!

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(I think Imelda had more sequins and sparkles on hers.)

I will decide Saturday morning what to hike and what to bring.

Thursday wont be a bad day, it will be in the teens in the Whites and upper 20's in the valleys outside them and partly to mostly cloudy. It's Thursday night into Friday afternoon you have to be concerned. From Concord north and west, it should be frozen, what that is, is still in question. White's should do well though with snow, 1-2 feet. -Mattl

1-2 feet? Whoo hoo!

Wmur report

Issued at: 3:11 PM EST 12/10/08, expires at: 4:30 AM EST 12/11/08

Winter storm watch now in effect from Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon,
The winter storm watch is now in effect from Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon.
At this time, the potential exists for significant icing, due to freezing rain and sleet, from the foothills to interior coastal counties, and heavy snowfall of 6 inches or more in the mountains and foothills, with some sleet and freezing rain on the coast thursday afternoon and evening before a change to rain.
However, the exact track of this coastal storm remains uncertain, and will ultimately determine where the most significant icing and snowfall will occur. It is likely that travel conditions will become difficult by late Thursday afternoon or early evening. Stay tuned to noaa weather radio or your local media for the later updates on this situation.
A winter storm watch means there is a potential for significant snow, sleet, or ice accumulations that may impact travel. Continue to monitor the latest forecasts.


FROM THEWMURCHANNEL:

kevinmac said:

Issued at: 3:11 PM EST 12/10/08, expires at: 4:30 AM EST 12/11/08

Winter storm watch now in effect from Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon,
The winter storm watch is now in effect from Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon.
At this time, the potential exists for significant icing, due to freezing rain and sleet, from the foothills to interior coastal counties, and heavy snowfall of 6 inches or more in the mountains and foothills, with some sleet and freezing rain on the coast thursday afternoon and evening before a change to rain.
However, the exact track of this coastal storm remains uncertain, and will ultimately determine where the most significant icing and snowfall will occur. It is likely that travel conditions will become difficult by late Thursday afternoon or early evening. Stay tuned to noaa weather radio or your local media for the later updates on this situation.
A winter storm watch means there is a potential for significant snow, sleet, or ice accumulations that may impact travel. Continue to monitor the latest forecasts.


FROM THEWMURCHANNEL:

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It looks like this is simply a cut-and-paste job that was done by the WMUR staff. Evidently, they started with a Winter Storm Watch from the National Weather Service and copied only the description of the watch. They did not also copy the area to which it applies, which was part of the notice.

Being aware there's a watch in effect but not knowing the area to which it applies seems a little silly to me. But, as I previously stated - I'm not a weatherman and don't pretend to be one.



Here's a link to the current NWS notices for New Hampshire including the source of the above excerpt.

The forecast for the White Mountains is 8-14 inches, and it if stays snow for the entire storm will be more like 2 feet. There is the major problem of sleet and freezing rain to deal with. Going to be a nasty ice storm in central and southern NH. This storm has a lot of moisture with it, so expect widespread power outages, shutdowns. -Mattl

So it sounds like taking Friday off to drive up and ski would be a *bad* idea. I think I'll wait out the road crews and go up Saturday morning...

If I was a betting man, I'd say northern VT gets the most snow out of this. It kind of looks like the sleet line will make it all the way into the whites. The mid level warm air is going to screw them over.

In other news, they just had HEAVY snow down in New Orleans, not necessarily expected. So the storm has already surprised some.

We're all gonna die!

Looks like a trip to the liquor store might be in order.

MadRiver said:

Looks like a trip to the liquor store might be in order.

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Bread and milk! Stock up!!!

MadRiver said:

Looks like a trip to the liquor store might be in order.

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Just got back. I'm set!

I can't believe that they cancelled school today for my kids. It's 35 and raining! Back in my day...............

Icy road warnings in southern New Hampshire on the radio how.

Up here in the northern Lakes Region, it's been alternating between snow and sleet.

Would those of you who live there please go out continuously for the next 48 hours and report back on what you find? If there is significant snow accumulating, would you please presciently break out whatever trail I might want? Manually set ski- and then snowshoe-tracks would be ideal. Even better would be if you break it out and then it snows another inch or two to make it look all nice and fresh.

Thanks!

I still think it'll be a hiker & not a skier weekend, unless you know those "secret" Vermont spots and are willing to drive that far. Maybe I'll see one of youze and mutter something about 'gators or eggs ("Hey, where'd you get those egg-shaped gaiters?").

We've had a mix of sleet and snow here between the Ossipee and Sandwich ranges. About a quarter to a half inch of stuff on the ground, even though it's been coming down since mid morning.

Road Report -- Boston to Whites Thu 12/11 PM...

Left Boston at 2:30pm -- light rain, temp in low 30s

Light rain and moderate traffic all the way to NH border, temps around freezing

Light rain and 31 through Hooksett, though no signs of glazing

Light freezing rain in Concord, 30 degrees

Light accumulating slop starting in Tilton -- 28 degrees

Roads pretty poor condition from Sanbornton to Plymouth -- sleet/light freezing rain

Road well treated, only a light coating north of Plymouth

Light snow, with a couple inches accumulated on the road and poor driving conditions above 1200 feet. Total travel time about 3 hours

Light snow now in Waterville Valley -- about 2 inches down so far.

7.5 hours in the car today, time for a tiny 'tini.

At 1200' in Franconia, light steady snow since about 2 p.m., no sleet or freezing rain; currently 26F with 2-3" accumulation.

DrewKnight said:

7.5 hours in the car today, time for a tiny 'tini.

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7.5 hours driving seems to call for more than an "tiny 'tiny"

Interesting ... while reading your "trip report" conditions seemed reasonable ... until you gave us the bottom line

I am in Brookline MA right now. Plan had been to return to Thornton this morning, looking at the forecast I decided to stay right where I was. Hope the drive back after lunch tomorrow (Friday) is better than yours!

Oy, it's r**ning up here in the northern Lakes Region...maybe a quarter inch of accumulation of utter junk. Power has been flickering - oh joy!