STORMS FOR POWDERHOUNDS OF ALL AGES
Dundalk, MD...Thursday, February 24, 2005
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away I decided that once a big storm forecast of mine verified fairly well, I would take a moment to say hello on a personal level to everyone out there who have been following this site. This is not an ego trip or anything of the sort, but rather to share in the fun of good snow with you all... and my daughter. She loves the snow, and points to it all the time. She is just now learning to walk in it, is willing to touch it with her hands, and when Mommy or I ask..."What's IS that out there?" She points with her little index finger in the cute way little toddlers do, and says.... " (silent s) NOOW."
The past week has been great fun, forecasting the storm, watching it develop, having time off with family to enjoy it...and reading all your posts, thought-provoking insight and entertaining commentary on the event. Now we enter the final phase of winter, which might just deliver ONE more big storm to delight powderhounds of all ages. I am glad that you had a chance to enjoy it all with us. You could now say that snowstorms help you get to know your neighbors better as well as your internet neighbors.
So now you know the real Mr. Foot. I was a little sheepish looking in this picture and my daughter does not seem too thrilled. This is because it was the 4th or 5th picture Mommy had attempted. Little Foot was too enthralled with the snow to smile for the camera! Her and I had already spent about 20 minute outside the library playing with the snowflakes, and she had found a little pond of water and was marching in it. The wind was whipping pretty fierce, the snow was coming down in buckets, and she was in her own little world stamping on the water. Kind of reminds you of her Father. As loyal reader NickyDonuts on our comments site pointed out..."It's charming how many adults relate to large snowstorms through the experiences of their kids, and vice versa." I couldn't agree more.
NOW BACK TO THE WEATHER
I see on the morning roundup of weather forecasts and discussions that the trend for our TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY STORM is leaning towards a colder solution. To be honest, I have not looked at the NAM yet, but my guess is it will probably trend towards the more snow/rain mix advertised by the GFS sometime later. Accuweather does the best work of anyone in the business of creating easy to understand graphics that put the big picture in perspective. That would be a fun job.
There are no changes to the overall breakdown of the next 7 days as explained in Wednesday's post. Several clippers come across the Northeast from varying directions heading in varying directions. I agree with the GFS that Monday SHOULD start out as rain for much of the Mid-Atlantic. The March 1888 storm did the same thing. This does not mean we will see a repeat of THAT, rather to point out, as Henry Margusity of Accuweather said earlier this winter: "Some of the best snowstorms first started out as rain."
CHALKTALK FORECAST FOR ATHLETIC DIRECTORS: You know the drill, it's the parking lot/gym/hall juggling game for at least the next 7 days and probably longer. I will be posting a picture of lacrosse practice at my school from this coming afternoon so everyone else knows what we're talking about.
WHAT'S THIS ABOUT A REPEAT OF MARCH 1993? Some of the weather discussion boards, meteorologists, and weather enthusiasts around the country have been hinting or hyping the idea that since it's been 12 years, we are due for another March Blockbuster. The pattern certainly suggests it is possible, but you know the routine... "all the right elements have to come together to produce a large....etc, etc." In the next few days, I will do a brief overview of whether or not a repeat of that memorable 93 storm is in the offing. There is a great website that features satellite imagery of that storm, I think it is in my links below somewhere. Check back later and I'll dig that out for you, it is fun to read and remember.