Tuesday, January 27, 2004

TUE 1/27 AFTERNOON UPDATE: ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL

Well, the ice monster is taking shape as forecasted, but looks a little different than originally thought. As of 3:45 PM there is a WALL of snow moving through northern VA and Central PA, with a batch of freezing rain and sleet below it. This will move into the BAL area by 5 PM and the PHL area by 6 PM. This could be pretty fun as it will become a whiteout for a brief time, with heavy snow just seeming to come out of nowhere, and then end as quickly as it started. Sound familiar?

This is being driven by a vigorous cold front... just like in the summer time. This is a classic summer-like cold front, except the precip is snow and sleet instead of rain. So let me be the first to say that someone from DC to PHL reading this column may hear or get...THUNDERSLEET. How's that for a word you don't use often.

Don't know where the Delmarva coastal low is that everyone was projecting to form. It may come later tonight, but as is discussed in the post below, these coastals form too late and too slowly to affect the land areas to their immediate left.

Summary for the next 12 hours:
PHL.. frizzle (that's freezing drizzle, not Ms. Frizzle from the Magic School Bus) will change to snow for a couple hours, then mix with and change back and forth between snow, sleet and frizzle. Once the coastal does develop, whatever you do have will change back to snow late overnight and become heavy for a short time. But you might hear a roll or two of thunder before it is all done with. School on Wednesday?
Nope.

BAL...frizzle will become snow for a couple hours, accumulating maybe up to 2 inches before switching back to freezing precip. Another round of snow may kick in later tonight as leftover parts of the mid-west low roll in as the coastal is SLOWLY developing. Overnight expect on and off snow showers and sleet, ending as flurries by daybreak. School on Wednesday? Just keep on sleepin.

STATE COLLEGE/ALTOONA...lots of snow for everyone, probably 6" or more. No school on Wednesday.

Jayla has been very good today, napping, watching the movie "Holes" with us and enjoying the pretty glaze on all the trees. Everyone please be careful if you venture out... and take baby steps on the sidewalk in honor of Jayla. We don't want you to slip and fall and become another brick in the wall.

Mr. Foot

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