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January 22-23, 2024 | OV/GL Snow/Ice Threat


Jpfalcon

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2 minutes ago, Central Illinois said:

I wouldn't be surprised if we see ice storm warnings issued N of I-70 in MO/IL if model trends continue...

ILX is only forecasting around a tenth of an inch, so certainly some bust potential.

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1 minute ago, Hoosier said:

ILX is only forecasting around a tenth of an inch, so certainly some bust potential.

Ya it should be interesting. Its been along time since we've had a widespread icing event in the GL/OV region

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Will be curious to see what kind of ice that downtown Chicago can pull off.  Obviously have 2 big factors to always consider there, one being the urban heat island effect and the other being lake temps if wind is onshore.  In this case, the wind is largely offshore, which will tend to negate the lake impact (nearshore water temps have cooled a fair amount recently anyway).  So that leaves the heat island question.  That area did get a decent icing event a few years back, so it can happen when the setup is right.

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Excellent write-up from ILN

Spoiler


As we progress later into late Monday evening and after midnight,
both the lift and LL moisture will gradually increase from W to E
across the region, eventually becoming sufficient enough to allow
for /some/ pcpn to work its way into EC IN and WC OH (as well as
much of central/nrn IN and NW OH). As this occurs, near-sfc temps
should be in the lower 30s, with quite a bit of dry air in the
lowest several thousand feet to overcome. Sufficient saturation will
occur initially above the LL dry layer, with substantial WAA
underway aloft at this juncture. The elevated warm layer looks to be
deep/warm enough to promote mainly liquid through it (although
suppose that brief IP cannot be completely ruled out, especially
near the onset of pcpn making it to the ground). Wet bulbing should
occur in the lowest several thousand feet, bringing the air temp at
the sfc perhaps even a few degrees cooler near/shortly after the
onset of pcpn, despite subtle WAA even at the sfc. The end result of
all of this is a favorable setup for freezing rain to overspread NW
parts of the ILN FA, mainly after midnight, as the better lift and
moisture profile develop into the local area.

The other aspect of this setup to consider is that even if the
subtle near-sfc WAA is able to eventually overcome the initial
cooling effect of wet bulbing and sfc air temps are able to rise to
33F or 34F, the antecedent ground temps are going to lag,
potentially by several hours. Ground temps are expected to be mostly
subfreezing late Monday night into Tuesday morning, so in the
absence of any stronger WAA (which seems unlikely), air temps only a
few degrees above freezing does /not/ mean that icing issues won`t
develop and/or persist. Given that the pcpn coverage and intensity
should be its greatest near/NW of I-71 around daybreak Tuesday, do
think that this is the primary time period (~08z-14z) where ice
accumulation is most likely to be a concern. This very well could be
a situation where sfc air temps are a few degrees *above* freezing
and untreated road and ground temps remain at or below freezing for
several hours longer. So with this in mind, for the official fcst,
allowed for FZRA to exist as a possibility through 12z, even with
air temps up to 34F. This will promote the greatest ice
accumulation *on the ground* opposed to trees/elevated surfaces
and overpasses, as it typically the case in these borderline
thermal situations. The main concern would be for rain to freeze
on-contact with the subfreezing ground and untreated roads
Tuesday morning, creating issues for the Tuesday AM commute,
especially in EC IN and WC OH and parts of the Miami Valley.

Right now, short-term hi-res ensemble probabilities point to the
best potential for greater than 0.01" ice accumulation near/N of the
I-71 corridor, with the best potential for greater than 0.05" ice
accumulation stretching from EC IN into WC OH, through Tuesday
daybreak. As we progress later into Tuesday morning, the combination
of rising air temps and solar radiational heating should result in a
transition to more "plain" rain, but a brief period of freezing rain
even SE of I-71 will be possible after daybreak before this takes
place.

So... while a winter weather advisory will undoubtedly be needed for
at least parts of the ILN FA , do feel at this juncture that we are
perhaps just a bit to early to issue with this fcst package.
Upstream winter weather advisories that are issued are done so where
the confidence is highest in icing issues and freezing rain is
expected to begin earlier (perhaps ~12 hours earlier) than will be
the case locally. But the key message remains the same, regardless
of when an advisory is issued. And that message is that freezing
rain is likely to develop late Monday night, especially in EC IN and
WC OH and the Miami Valley before transitioning to all rain mid/late
Tuesday morning. Ice accumulation on the ground is likely in these
areas, especially for the Tuesday AM commute, due to antecedent
subfreezing ground temps, regardless of air temps at that time.

 

 

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Just now, Hoosier said:

Meanwhile the 00z NAM is having none of that.  Much less icy overall.

Have not been impressed with NAM this winter. Doesn’t mean it’s wrong this time. I’d rather it isn’t because ice stinks.

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Ok, I think I figured out what the NAM is doing.  It has a much warmer surge of air aloft than other models (especially noticeable around 925 mb).  That essentially destroys the low level cold layer much more rapidly, leading to a quicker changeover to plain rain.

While one always has to mindful of waa, there's nothing else even close to what the NAM is showing with the magnitude of that 925 mb warm bubble.

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In any case, interesting setup.  There's like no organized surface low to speak of and relatively high pressures are maintained throughout the area.  So despite this not really being a textbook big ice setup with a cold high funneling in dry east/northeast flow throughout the event, wouldn't be surprised if it overperforms.  I wouldn't ride the HRRR/RAP verbatim (especially at this point), but perhaps they're trying to drop a hint.  

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I'm not too concerned for my back yard with ice as far as driving hazards are concerned. So much darn salt on roads, that alone will help. 

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1 hour ago, MesoscaleBanding said:

I'll consider the NAM at 0z tomorrow night. NAM was horrendous with the details of the last storm until the final run before showtime.

This one could be your next source for at least a delay.  Once again, the timing lines up pretty well.  

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