Finally A Snowstorm On the Way

I've been wanting to start a thread like this for awhile....

Wax the cross country skis, and get out the snowshoes.

It is looking more and more like a significant snowfall is coming to central and northern New England beginning Tuesday morning. Most of the computer models are tracking a low pressure along the south coast of New England and then sending it up into the Gulf of Maine. That bodes well for central and Northern New England if you want snow, and it will put a dent into the snow drought many have been seeing. It is a little early to predict actual amounts, but the maximum precip will probably be winter storm warning criteria, meaning 6 inches or more.

Southern New England will probably be dealing with milder temps and a dry slot, so accumulations will most likely be less there, under 6 inches. I'll have more updates whenit gets closer to snow time. Who knows, I might even try to slap together an accumulation map, since I have nothing else better to do.

Also to add to this, after the heavy snow ends, there should be a large backlash/upslope event after as well. Could be quite a few areas that get over a foot. We will know more tomorrow though. This is a big deal since we have been in one of the worst snow droughts I have ever seen.

Well, that's a relief to hear. I've been reduced to shoveling snow into the dog's outdoor pen. Just like Vancouver. If you're a dog owner, you know why. Otherwise, you don't want to know.

Mattl said:

This is a big deal since we have been in one of the worst snow droughts I have ever seen.

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I defer to your weather wisdom in most cases but...

Wait! What about '06-7? I remember it wasn't until Valentine's day that we even had a measurable amount of snow in any storm. They were even making fun of it in the Onion:

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/northeast_stunned_by_freak_january??utm_source=EMTF_Onion

I don't know about what it's been like where you are but I still haven't gotten my haying equipment under cover since the very first snow storm shortly after Thanksgiving. The ground here (Ashfield, MA) has essentially been white ever since (occasionally patchy but not where I needed it to be anyway).

bcskier said:

I defer to your weather wisdom in most cases but...

Wait! What about '06-7? I remember it wasn't until Valentine's day that we even had a measurable amount of snow in any storm. They were even making fun of it in the Onion:

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/northeast_stunned_by_freak_january??utm_source=EMTF_Onion

I don't know about what it's been like where you are but I still haven't gotten my haying equipment under cover since the very first snow storm shortly after Thanksgiving. The ground here (Ashfield, MA) has essentially been white ever since (occasionally patchy but not where I needed it to be anyway).

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06-07 Definitely depended on where you lived. It is true we didn't get much snow till Valentines Day, that storm was huge, esp in the mtns, and then winter didn't really end till mid April. The final storm on 4/15 dropped over 50 inches of snow up at Hermit Lake. On the other hand, southern New England was screwed over time after time in 06-07, especially in the CT river valley. Where Mattl lives, snow has been well below normal to date.

Back to the storm: Its def not going to be blockbuster, but I still like the chance of 4-8 inches across most of NH, VT, and ME. Also 4-8 inches are possible north and west of Boston in MA. And after the storm passes, it will stall out in the Gulf of Maine for a couple days, and prolong that beloved upslope in the mtns. So winter will definitely return in a big way across interior New England. The coastline south of NH...we'll see. But good winter hiking weather is definitely on its way.

grouseking

grouseking said:

But good winter hiking weather is definitely on its way.

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The hiking couldn't be any better than it has been for the past 3 or 4 weeks. Except for up high, the trees have minimal snow to dump on me as I squeeze my 6'3" frame through the tunnel. I have (gulp) mixed feelings about this.

The skier in me is excited though, and he remembers that 06-07 Valentine's winter - I believe that was the year Waterville added Tripoli Road to their groomed trails - nothing else had enough snow to be open.

Tim

bikehikeskifish said:

The hiking couldn't be any better than it has been for the past 3 or 4 weeks. Except for up high, the trees have minimal snow to dump on me as I squeeze my 6'3" frame through the tunnel. I have (gulp) mixed feelings about this.

The skier in me is excited though, and he remembers that 06-07 Valentine's winter - I believe that was the year Waterville added Tripoli Road to their groomed trails - nothing else had enough snow to be open.

Tim

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Heh, I guess "good" is subjective with this.

I'm not going to make an accumulaiton map. There is still too much uncertainty. What is certain...its going to snow....definitely plowable amounts, pretty much all across New England. Then the upslope kicks in. Thats all you need to know.

Happy trails.

bikehikeskifish said:

The I believe that was the year Waterville added Tripoli Road to their groomed trails -
Tim

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Sue and I skied Tripoli on Saturday and the coverage was good.

It will be nice to have some actual snow. This may be the worst snow year for CT that I can remember. I doubt we've even hit 6" for the season, and most of that melted within a few days of being laid down. There's still a dusting at my place from the last storm, but there's not much of anything in the valley.

This is the first time I've ever been jealous of a Virginia winter.

People who 'only" shovel snow don't understand, do they?

I guess I spoke too soon. The winter storm watch has been downgraded to an advisory.

We may get 3 whole inches of snow here in southern New England

A friend of mine is a meteorologist and he made a map on what he is thinking. Here is that map. It looks like eastern NH and ME will be the jackpot for snow amounts, with heavy amts extending up into the White Mtns and down into Worcester county MA. Then amounts get lower towards the west.

Ahh, the morning of thwe storm, no snow, and the sun is shining through the clouds....

Pathetic, I tell ya. Snow amounts have decreased from that map I posted. Most will fall in SE NH, prob 4-8 inches. Much less for northern New England. This just isnt NH's winter.

grouseking said:

Pathetic, I tell ya. Snow amounts have decreased from that map I posted.

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Like I always say you'll never know what Winter will be like until the end of April!

skiguy said:

Like I always say you'll never know what Winter will be like until the end of April!

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Thankfully, there is always upslope to save the mtns.

It is now 2:18pm in Plymouth NH and not one flake has fallen!

MadRiver said:

It is now 2:18pm in Plymouth NH and not one flake has fallen!

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Pretty pathetic, isnt it? You'll get a couple inches later.

Snow has picked up in earnest down here, we'll prob get 6 inches or so. The heavy stuff has extended into eastern MA, out into Worcester County. Later it will collapse down towards SE Mass.

4" on the ground and snowing heavily in Peterborough.

Skiing down the S. Pack auto road was MUCH nicer today!

Looking at radar, the moderate to heavy snow made it into the white mtns. GOod stuff! We have about 4 inches here.

No Flakes in Gorham NH and I can see the summits of Adams and Madison as of 5:20 PM. It did cloud up earlier but looks like the cloud deck has thinned considerably.