Posted on 01/30/2011 1:48:48 PM PST by listenhillary
A large winter storm forecast to unfold could adversely affect more than 100 million people this week from the Rockies to the Plains, South, Midwest and Northeast, if it develops to its full potential.
The latest indications continue to point toward a large storm forming amidst a building temperature contrast over the middle of the nation. Precipitation and strong cold air/warm air circulation around that storm will affect many millions of people from the interior West to the Atlantic Coast as next week progresses.
We are calling this system the Groundhog Day storm, and it will likely severely impact ground travel, and lead to canceled flights, school delays and closures. The storm is not only a concern for Wednesday, but for much of the week as the system moves along.
Warm air that built over the Plains this past week will be dramatically replaced by a charge of arctic air that will lead to blinding upslope snow along the High Plains and the Front Range of the Rockies.
As the cold air charges southward and becomes more shallow, a substantial ice storm may unfold for portions of the southern Plains. Meteorologist and former resident of the southern Plains, Heather Buchman, states, "This is the type of storm that could shut down the region with high winds, plunging temperatures, ice, snow and a rapid freeze-up on roads."
Expert Senior Meteorologist John Kocet points out, "Some parts of the Plains and Rockies may have a daily temperature drop of 50 degrees or more, caused by the storm."
If the storm develops to its full potential, parts of the Plains will experience life-threatening AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures.
Nasty cold air, marked by near- or below-zero temperatures, could possibly grip areas during the day as arctic high pressure builds over the northern Rockies and Plains as the storm passes by.
The charge of cold air clashing with warm air will likely lead to heavy, perhaps severe, thunderstorms sweeping eastward through parts of the Mississippi Valley and South.
Depending on the storm's configuration as it heads to the eastern half of the nation, a zone of heavy snow and ice may form from parts of the Ohio Valley to the Northeast.
Depending on the track of the storm and how quickly it re-forms along the Atlantic Coast, heavy snow could blast part of the Great Lakes and much of the Northeast.
How nasty the storm gets and the primary form of precipitation for the Northeast, Midwest, interior South, and Plains depend on the exact track of the storm.
The storm will have many negative effects, especially in parts of the Northeast, where snow-removal budgets are blown and roofs are stressed to the failure point from the magnitude of prior, record-breaking snowstorms.
According to AccuWeather.com Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams, "Kids in portions of Kentucky have missed over two weeks of school already this winter."
Meteorologist Mark Mancuso stated, "This storm and perhaps a second storm could impact travel to the Super Bowl in Dallas next weekend, potentially from areas of ice, snow, high winds and cold."
Oyvey! Enough already with the Global Warming.
This year we have had 3 snow storms so far which is a lot of us. If they even anticipate a snow storm the schools are usually closed.
Same way we survived the last snows, Pinky...with generators, tractors, extra groceries and plenty of patience! ;-)
As long as the local VZW cell tower still has power and backhaul, I’ll have internet. I guess that’s the one good thing about not having access to DSL/Cable/FIOS.
“What’s the problem? We peckerwoods down south have always heard the folks up north know how to handle snow and ice.”
LOL!
I was a kid but I remember those. The wonderful ice storm in '77 or '78 that nearly destroyed my grandfather's huge willow tree and kept us indoors for five days. It was a really cold winter that year too, IIRC.
My husband and I have often told our kids (we're in our mid-40's) that winters were much nastier when we were young.
The meterologist scum have joined the Ruling Class elitists. Over the past few years they have started overprediciting and breathlessly telling us the sky is falling every other week.
Those of us who live in the upper Midwest do know how to handle it. Bring it on.
The Accuweather and Weatherchannel cable nerds have to have crap to broadcast and internetize 24/7. They are elist pantywaists overpredicting in the same way the doctors do “preventive medicine.”
Ignore them. Don’t encourage them.
Yep, we’re looking at a bitter 73 here in Baton Rouge tomorrow.
I remember when we had an ICE STORM, and the power was out for two weeks (for a majority of the CITY). Trees were covered in ice and limbs snapped off all the time.
We just didn’t have the internet or the local Weather People going beserk predicting things, so we just dealt with them as they happened.
The good thing about the ‘prediction’ is that hopefully, many more people will be prepared.
Engage the panic generators! The world will end in three days!
Having been through both types, I'd take 18" of snow over an ice storm. It may take a few days to dig out from snow, but might take a week or longer to get power back from the ice storm..
During the height of the storm, snow removal, rescue and emergency personnel will be grounded.
People that venture out into the storm and get into trouble will die.
That’s horrible! :-)
Here in WDC the weather reporters have a grim visage whenever there is a cloud in Wyoming. Close schools...cancel all appointments...buy toilet paper, bread and milk...give all government workers more time with pay... Truly, I have never thought such weakness, whinyness and wimpiness could exist. These attitudes aren’t what make America great. Read one of the books about Shackelton’s travails in the 1910’s when stranded in Antarctica and his escape from likely death. None of his men died. Remember, winter is the cold season, it sometimes snows and sometimes ices.
A number of years ago the Weather Channel even sent a crew up here who set up their van just off I-75 and Big Beaver rd. to cover the snow debacle that was predicted.......
As I drove to work the following morning I turned into the lot where they were parked and yelled at them "where's the snow"?.........Metro airport was closed down in anticipation of the storm and we never got a flake............LOL!
If our leaders in DC gave as much attention to running our government as they do stocking up on milk and tp for a potential storm we might not be in the fix we are in. ;-)
Cool! I get to exercise my generator!
Weather Channel reporter was showing pics of kids on sleds and then started her drama queen tirade because none of them had helmets on and wondered if any of them had been warned of any of the potential dangers so they would be extra careful. Just wears me out - it’s simply pathetic.
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