Snow Threat Increasing

Brian Peters will be along in a bit with his weekend video...

But here are the latest numbers off the 12Z NAM just rolling in:

The model spits out 0.38" of liquid Monday morning, with 850 mp temps (about 5,000 feet AGL) down to -3.7. Dewpoints are in the low 20s prior to the precipitation arriving, which means evaporational cooling should bring surface temperatures down to freezing, or maybe even a tad below freezing.

It is beginning to look like this storm system might produce a strip of snow over North/Central Alabama in the 2 to 4 inch range sometime between 2:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon Monday. And, if this is correct, a winter storm watch will be required tomorrow.

But, before you run down to the store and buy milk and bread, keep in mind:

*Snow is ALWAYS a hard call in Alabama. Timing and placement will be adjusted as we get closer.
*This will be a fast moving system. Not a long term issue.
*Temperatures will warm into the upper 30s Monday afternoon, so if we do get snow there will be some melting during the day and roads will be just wet. The snow could change to rain before ending during the day.

Based on the 12Z NAM, the best placement for the heaviest snow could very well be near I-20 with a surface low moving from around Mobile to Marianna, Florida. THIS IS ONLY ONE MODEL RUN, but there has been good agreement with the 00Z data from last night.

I should also note the GFS MOS numbers are laughable in the longer term. Don't trust anyone who forecasts 50s and 30s in this kind of pattern for any significant length of time.

Stay tuned... I will try to make several posts today on thoughts...
Posted by  
on February 4, 2006, 9:06 am
Yes!!!!! This is so exciting!!! Just the thought-- which was way beyond imagining during our warm January. I was about to lay out in the sun in protest to our warm January! I was one week from buying petunias and geraniums and going on with my life!!!

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Posted by  
on February 4, 2006, 9:20 am
Hey Snow lover I hope the snow comes if it does than I think it will be the first time that I can recall seeing snow in Febuary :D

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Posted by Mel F.  
on February 4, 2006, 9:27 am
As much as I hate to think about the idea of driving to work in it, it would be fun to have some snow for my toddler to experience on Monday morning. Ohhh, the pictures for the grandparents that we could get. ;)

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Posted by  
on February 4, 2006, 9:27 am
Accuweather.com @0916. They show the low tracking across central Alabama, with a line of snow across Tennessee and extreme North Alabama. Now, what model did they pull this information from. So confused.

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Posted by  
on February 4, 2006, 9:28 am
Hey Snow lover hold off on the plants. Because this is an old saying if it thunders in Febuary than it will frost sometime in April. I have seen that happen a lot. My mother would go out and buy plants and get them in the ground and boom a late season cold snap.

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Posted by  
on February 4, 2006, 9:30 am
Hey Mike I don't think accuweather knows what is going on.

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Posted by Stephanie Honeycutt  
on February 4, 2006, 10:00 am
Doin' the happy snow dance!!!!!

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