Brief Break, Then More Heavy Rain for South
Radar, Southern Texas, Image: NOAA (Image is OLD!!!)
Click for the latest radar imagery of Southern Texas.
Brownsville, Harlingen, and Corpus Christi are feeling the effects of the next Gulf low developing along the Southern Texas coast. This storm will make a path toward Houston and then New Orleans over the next several days, dumping rain on saturated soils.
Thursday's Computer Model Forecast, Image: Unisys Weather
Thursday Night Model Forecast, Image: Unisys Weather
The images above represent computer model forecast for Thursday and Thursday night. As you can see, the Texas coastline gets drenched as a low pressure system over the Gulf of Mexico develops. That low then tracks west, bringing heavy rain to the central Gulf, and possibly heavy rain to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama once again.
A storm tracking across the Cascades and then the Rocky Mountains is forecast to dump heavy snow.
-Dawn Brown
Flooding Rains Across Gulf South
Radar, Southeast States, Image: NOAA (Image is OLD!)
Click here for the latest radar imagery.
Flooding rains continue to fall in New Orleans, Louisiana this morning, as a tropical air mass collides with a cold front. Flash flood watches are in affect for Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina today. The cold front will begin to march east later tonight. New Orleans has experienced a record amount of rain in the last few days with 21.20″ of rain since December 1. Rain is still falling.
After a brief break, more rain is possible at the end of the week as another Gulf low sets up south of Houston, Texas.
Today's Temperature Forecast, Image: NOAA
An arctic air mass is once again trying to make its way into the Great Lakes region. It’s in the single digits in Minneapolis today.
Temperatures along the Gulf South will drop from the 70s to the 50s by Wednesday.
A Pacific storm is dumping rain and snow across the Northwest.
-Dawn Brown
Dense Fog Seeps into Gulf States
US Watches and Warnings, Image: NOAA
Click for the latest national watches and warnings.
As you can see from the map above, dense fog advisories extend from central Texas to North Carolina. Advisories are posted when the visibility is 1/4 mile or less. That’s about 1300 feet. Dense fog can be a persistent problem along the Gulf South this time of year after a spell of cold weather. A warm, tropical air mass will override that cold air, and create a perfect setup for fog. Fog is a winter hazard. Here’s the link to my previous blog about fog.
Today's Temperature Forecast, Image: NOAA
Heavy rain is expected across portions of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama later today.
Snow is forecast for parts of Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa. And, a winter storm is crossing the Cascades in the West.
-Dawn Brown
Icy Mix as Storm Rolls Up East Coast
National Radar Loop, Image: NOAA (Image is OLD!)
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US Watches & Warnings, Image: NOAA
Click for the latest national watches and warnings.
An icy mix is possible as a storm heads up the East Coast. TV forecasters from central Pennsylvania to Upstate New York are warning of a light coating of ice this Sunday.
Otherwise rain is expected along coastal towns like Providence and Boston.
-Dawn Brown
US Ski Resort Snow & Mountain Conditions
With the incredible amount of fresh powder we are seeing this ski season, I’ve decided to hook you up with the snow & mountain conditions at ski resorts across the United States. Keep in mind this is not a complete list. For a more complete list of resorts, go to ultimate-ski.com or skiresortguide.com. The pictus are from Diamond Peak Resort in Lake Tahoe in January 2009. A fairly nice resort with a couple of steep runs. It’s not too crowded. Amazing views of Lake Tahoe!
Diamon Peak Resort, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Also, check out this article from Travel & Leisure magazine, it may help you plan your trip!
California/Nevada – I grew up in Southern California and learned to ski at Mountain High! Woo-hoo. It’s a tiny mountain, but if you want a one day escape from LA, it provides it. Of course, a lot of people from Southern California go to Big Bear Mountain and Mammoth Mountain. I grew up skiing at Mammoth Mountain. I love it. It’s a huge mountain. When I lived and worked in Reno, Nevada, I used to snowboard at Alpine Meadows quite a bit. They have the best overnight groomers, and great back mountain terrain. (I didn’t go into the back country without my friend Jay Abdo, who’s an experienced guide.) Now he works at Diamond Peak. Squaw Valley has to be my favorite mountain in Lake Tahoe because it has my favorite run, the face of KT-22. I wouldn’t ski it now, but when I was in great shape in college, it was a blast.
Southern California: Big Bear Mountain, Mountain High Central California: June Mountain, Mammoth Mountain Northern California: North Lake Tahoe: Alpine Meadows, Diamond Peak, Mt. Rose, Northstar-at-Tahoe, Squaw Valley, Sugar Bowl South Lake Tahoe: Heavenly, Kirkwood
Diamond Peak Resort, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Colorado – My step-dad grew up in Colorado, mostly skiing the local resorts near his hometown of Rifle, Colorado. We’ve been out to Colorado a few times. The nice thing about Colorado is the amount of high-quality resorts. Most of the recommended ski resorts by high level skiers are in Colorado. I’ve skied Vail, Snowmass and Beaver Creek. I had a great time at Steamboat Springs. Very low key. I love Crested Butte! It’s a small town in the Southwest corner of the state. They have great deals in the end of March, beginning of April. (I think most of the resorts do.) If you want to hang out with the likes of Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and Oprah Winfrey, apparently they have their winter homes in Telluride. I’ve never been there, but I keep dreaming!
Arapahoe Basin, Aspen, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Crested Butte, Keystone, Silverton, Steamboat Springs, Winter Park, Snowmass, Telluride, Vail, Wolf Creek Pass
Idaho
Montana
Big Mountain, Big Sky, Bridger Bowl
New Hampshire - I’ve never heard of Mad River Glen growing up on the West Coast, but I want to check it out!
NH Ski Resorts, Mad River Glen
New Mexico
Oregon – Another mountain on my list—Mt. Hood, Oregon. It looks like a challenge.
Utah – My brother worked at a ski resort in Utah one winter, so my friend Deanna and I went out to visit him. It was a great time. Large mountain. We skied one lift most of the time that takes you to the top, and the run continues for about two and 1/2 miles. Here’s the link to all the resorts in Utah: Skiing in Utah. I have them listed individually below with the links. Apparently, Alta, Utah has the cheapest one day lift tickets and largest average snowfall. Gotta’ go!
Salt Lake City: Alta, Beaver Mountain, Brian Head Resort, Brighton Resort, Powder Mountain Resort, Snowbasin Resort, Snowbird Ski & Summer, Solitude, Sundance Resort, Wolf Creek Utah Park City: Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain Resort, The Canyons Resort
Vermont
Killington, Smuggler’s Notch, Sugarbush, Stowe
Washington
Wyoming
When I started skiing, my parents were able to do it fairly inexpensively with hand-me-down equipment and clothing, fairly cheap lift tickets, and lunch in a bag. I think you can still do it that way if you plan right. There are great deals to be had. The only thing I would recommend if you take up skiing is spending the money on a lesson. Usually the resorts will offer an all-in-one package for equipment, tickets and a lesson. Have a great time, and if you have any recommendations, please let me know.
-Dawn Brown
Great Lakes Snow Event
Lake Effect Snow Event, Image: NOAA
The National Weather Service is predicting heavy snow from Upstate New York to Ohio as a cold artic airmass continues to descend across the country.
See my previous post on lake effect snow.
A quiet weather pattern will remain in place across portions of the Central Plains and Mid-Atlantic region until Saturday.
Expect heavy rain along the Gulf Coast this Friday into Saturday.
Along the West Coast, another storm system will be a rain event for the Bay Area and Los Angeles, a snow event for the Sierra.
-Dawn Brown
Artic Air Follows Storm…
- Computer Model Temperature Chart, Image: Unisys Weather
A massive storm system that has dumped snow from California to New York and created severe weather across the South is now pulling an artic air mass toward the Central Plains. Looking at the computer model image above, places like Bismarck, North Dakota can expect highs in the “single” digits and minus-7 degree overnight lows. The frigid airmass is stretching as far south as Amarillo, Texas. Here’s a link to an Associated Press article on the impacts of this storm as it moved across the country this week.
Snow Storm Stretches Cross Country
Temperature Forecast, Image: NOAA
Look at the temperature difference on this map between Northern Lousiana and central Kansas. This stark temperature contrast is creating the possibility of severe thunderstorms from Georgia to Western Lousiana today. A large area of low pressure that dumped snow in the Rockies yesterday now marches East.
National Forecast, Image: NOAA
Heavy snow is expected across portions of Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and Northern Kansas today, while flash flooding is a possibility in Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Click on the links above for your local TV forecast. If your city is not listed above, go to the link on the right-hand side of this website. The last green tab will take you to TV forecasts around the country.
-Dawn Brown
Winter Storms Blast West, Rockies
National Weather Warnings, Image: NOAA (Image is OLD!)
Click for the latest weather warnings across the US.
A large and potent storm begins its march across the US this week.
Parts of southeast Utah, southwest Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico are under blizzard warning this Monday as a large winter storm envelopes the Southwestern United States. This large and potent storm system could dump up to 3′ of snow in resort areas such as Crested Butte, Colorado.
National Satellite Map, Image: NOAA (Image is OLD!)
Click for the latest satellite image.
These warnings will continue through Tuesday until the storm system begins to move East, dumping heavy rain and snow in parts of Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee before landing in the Northeast. By the time the storm system makes it to D.C., South Jersey, and New York it will most likely be a heavy rainmaker.
-Dawn Brown
Blizzard Warnings in Colorado
Rocky Mountain Snow, Image: Unisys Weather
A heavy snow is expected to blanket the Rocky Mountains near Telluride, Colorado this week. The computer model forecast above is for Monday afternoon. It shows a low pressure system developing across the Southwest, and heavy rain falling across portions of Southern California, and snow across the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range
National Snow Depth, Image: NOAA
A storm system that left light accumulations of snow across the Gulf South, then headed toward the Northeast. You can see the trail of snow from Tennessee to Maine on the map above.
For more information on snow depths across the country, click here.
-Dawn Brown