Texas Winter 2012-2013

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

:uarrow: Actually most idiots around here do that when it starts to rain. When somebody sees a snowflake or ice pellet it turns into mass chaos. Interstates, roads, schools, and businesses all shut down. Pretty funny to sit back and watch and laugh at the them.

So where are you originally from Mike??? You can't be a LA native (or are you)?

[Ntxw]

It's not really the snow that gets us, most of the time the roads are just fine! It's the ice, DFW is like the king of overpasses (I've been to other large cities and only LA probably compares) but they don't get that. That's where most of the trouble brews and we get the reputation I think.

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

Ours is covered with ice too ..... inches and inches of the stuff (and with lots of polishing snow on top of it all )

However I know there really is no comparison as we do (or at least some of us do) have winter tires. Those that don't here are either exceptional drivers, idiots with a death wish, or just damn lucky.

[somethingfunny]

I've always been able to handle those overpasses pretty easily even when they get snowpacked. It's the other drivers who can't figure it out.... I guess I just have more experience? I don't know, I grew up here but I have a Yankee for a mom and she's the one who taught me to drive. There's been times that a car in front of me starts sliding backwards towards me and I just drive around them. One really good tip: DON'T STOP ON AN INCLINE. Your forward momentum is worth a lot more than you might think. There's really no reason to tap your brakes on a bridge; you don't need to hit the gas either, just let momentum carry you up the incline and gently turn your wheel. Your tires will turn with the steering wheel; if you skid, just turn in the direction you're skidding and you'll (usually) stabilize, then you can steer out of the skid... main thing is, no panicking and suddenly your gas/brake/wheel during any skids.

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

I've always been able to handle those overpasses pretty easily even when they get snowpacked. It's the other drivers who can't figure it out.... I guess I just have more experience? I don't know, I grew up here but I have a Yankee for a mom and she's the one who taught me to drive. There's been times that a car in front of me starts sliding backwards towards me and I just drive around them. One really good tip: DON'T STOP ON AN INCLINE. Your forward momentum is worth a lot more than you might think. There's really no reason to tap your brakes on a bridge; you don't need to hit the gas either, just let momentum carry you up the incline and gently turn your wheel. Your tires will turn with the steering wheel; if you skid, just turn in the direction you're skidding and you'll (usually) stabilize, then you can steer out of the skid... main thing is, no panicking and suddenly your gas/brake/wheel during any skids.

Your Yankee mother taught you well! re skidding we tell our children just go with it into the ditch.....you fight it and you and your vehicle are toast!

This was my son's first skid....he was driving on the highway on dry pavement that went to sheer ice on a curve. He went with the skid into the ditch and through a slough (and somehow made it out of the ditch onto the shoulder of the opposite highway). He didn't have winter tires that first year (it was last year ie the year of no snow) and was driving below the speed limit but NOT slow enough). If he would have fought it, going around 60mph, he would have rolled.

Will delete pic after


It took us hours to get all the bullrushes out from under there.

[angelwing]

For some reason or other I'm thinking it might be our hunting season? Some of which usually falls in the snow season here

Your right about me at the thought of you fellows coping with our snow and ice.

I really do have this picture, in my head, of how many folks down there react to snow:

http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/192/texanssnow.png

p.s. our sky has been overcast for months (guess what drops snow).

ROFLMAO!!!!! That's how it is here too!!! Then the panic at the store for French Toast fixings

[weatherdude1108]

For some reason or other I'm thinking it might be our hunting season? Some of which usually falls in the snow season here

Your right about me at the thought of you fellows coping with our snow and ice.

I really do have this picture, in my head, of how many folks down there react to snow:

http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/192/texanssnow.png

p.s. our sky has been overcast for months (guess what drops snow).

ROFLMAO!!!!! That's how it is here too!!! Then the panic at the store for French Toast fixings:roflmao:

LOVE IT!!! You nailed it brother! That's exactly how people react down here. A spit of freezing drizzle or a snow flurry and the sand trucks come out in full force.

[wxman57]

Here's something to cheer you folks up in Dallas up. The GFS is forecasting the Arctic front to arrive on Monday. Your low temp may drop way into the low 40s on Tuesday! BRRRR! At some point we can start believing that the models do have a handle on this next surge of cold air. I was talking to my cold-mongering long-range guy and we think that the upper air pattern is TOO favorable to bring down cold air. The NW flow aloft just allows the Arctic air to zip off to the ESE-SE. Had the flow been LESS favorable (SSW-SW winds aloft with a trof to our west), then the Arctic air might have just sunk straight south to Texas.

[Big O]

Here's something to cheer you folks up in Dallas up. The GFS is forecasting the Arctic front to arrive on Monday. Your low temp may drop way into the low 40s on Tuesday! BRRRR! At some point we can start believing that the models do have a handle on this next surge of cold air. I was talking to my cold-mongering long-range guy and we think that the upper air pattern is TOO favorable to bring down cold air. The NW flow aloft just allows the Arctic air to zip off to the ESE-SE. Had the flow been LESS favorable (SSW-SW winds aloft with a trof to our west), then the Arctic air might have just sunk straight south to Texas.

http://home.comcast.net/~cgh57/dfwgfs6zjan17.gif

http://home.comcast.net/~cgh57/iahgfs6zjan17.gif

Wxman57: What does your cold-mongering long range guy think about late January into February. I am hearing some mets mention the Euro 360 showing a reloading of the cold and trough across the central and eastern US in late January/early February.

[wxman57]

Here's something to cheer you folks up in Dallas up. The GFS is forecasting the Arctic front to arrive on Monday. Your low temp may drop way into the low 40s on Tuesday! BRRRR! At some point we can start believing that the models do have a handle on this next surge of cold air. I was talking to my cold-mongering long-range guy and we think that the upper air pattern is TOO favorable to bring down cold air. The NW flow aloft just allows the Arctic air to zip off to the ESE-SE. Had the flow been LESS favorable (SSW-SW winds aloft with a trof to our west), then the Arctic air might have just sunk straight south to Texas.

http://home.comcast.net/~cgh57/dfwgfs6zjan17.gif

http://home.comcast.net/~cgh57/iahgfs6zjan17.gif

Wxman57: What does your cold-mongering long range guy think about late January into February. I am hearing some mets mention the Euro 360 showing a reloading of the cold and trough across the central and eastern US in late January/early February.

He's saying "winter is NOT over" and going on and on about warming in the stratosphere. I'm thinking it's just 6 more weeks until March...

[vbhoutex]

Here's something to cheer you folks up in Dallas up. The GFS is forecasting the Arctic front to arrive on Monday. Your low temp may drop way into the low 40s on Tuesday! BRRRR! At some point we can start believing that the models do have a handle on this next surge of cold air. I was talking to my cold-mongering long-range guy and we think that the upper air pattern is TOO favorable to bring down cold air. The NW flow aloft just allows the Arctic air to zip off to the ESE-SE. Had the flow been LESS favorable (SSW-SW winds aloft with a trof to our west), then the Arctic air might have just sunk straight south to Texas.

http://home.comcast.net/~cgh57/dfwgfs6zjan17.gif

http://home.comcast.net/~cgh57/iahgfs6zjan17.gif

Wxman57: What does your cold-mongering long range guy think about late January into February. I am hearing some mets mention the Euro 360 showing a reloading of the cold and trough across the central and eastern US in late January/early February.

He's saying "winter is NOT over" and going on and on about warming in the stratosphere. I'm thinking it's just 6 more weeks until March...

He's a good man!!!

[vbhoutex]

For some reason or other I'm thinking it might be our hunting season? Some of which usually falls in the snow season here

Your right about me at the thought of you fellows coping with our snow and ice.

I really do have this picture, in my head, of how many folks down there react to snow:

http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/192/texanssnow.png

p.s. our sky has been overcast for months (guess what drops snow).

ROFLMAO!!!!! That's how it is here too!!! Then the panic at the store for French Toast fixings:roflmao:

LOVE IT!!! You nailed it brother! That's exactly how people react down here. A spit of freezing drizzle or a snow flurry and the sand trucks come out in full force.

I don't think I have ever seen a better depiction of what happens here when we have snow!!! ROFLMAO!!!

[GaryHughes]

That's a two edged sword ... if the sand trucks don't come out when a spit of sleet or snow Fall people ask where are the trucks? And we all known what usually happens, especially The last few years ...yep the stuff hits the fan.

[dhweather]

He's saying "winter is NOT over" and going on and on about warming in the stratosphere. I'm thinking it's just 6 more weeks until March...

Statistically speaking, the odds of getting a major arctic outbreak in Texas are pretty low. That's why we have these benchmark years, like 1985, because it doesn't happen every year or two or ten. How many major arctic outbreaks have there been in Texas since 1990? I'll hang up and listen.

[Texas Snowman]

So true...

"@stormchaser4850: Note: RT @JKWxman: Southern snow forecasting is not about being right; you won't be. It's about minimizing how wrong you are... #snOMG2013"

[Portastorm]

He's saying "winter is NOT over" and going on and on about warming in the stratosphere. I'm thinking it's just 6 more weeks until March...

Statistically speaking, the odds of getting a major arctic outbreak in Texas are pretty low. That's why we have these benchmark years, like 1985, because it doesn't happen every year or two or ten. How many major arctic outbreaks have there been in Texas since 1990? I'll hang up and listen.

What would you describe as a "major" Arctic outbreak? For example, to me, 1983 and 1989 were historic. 1985 would probably be a "major" by my reckoning.

[Ntxw]

I've had enough winter, lets warm it up for some fishing!

[Palmer divide shadow]

Feb, 89 Dec 89, Dec of 1990 was bitter cold but most forget that xmas cold wave.January 97 with the ice storm.Then there was the feb 9 6 cold wave. After that mr heat miser took over

[Ntxw]

For those wondering about the long range, there is still potential. Pattern does reload but it's been hard hammering the details as models have been all over the place due to the Pacific. Gave wxman57 a couple options a few days ago either arctic or subtropical jet (cross polar continues or blocking pattern in the Hudson) still holds true. First option would be more cold, second option would allow more storminess.

[weatherdude1108]

For those wondering about the long range, there is still potential. Pattern does reload but it's been hard hammering the details as models have been all over the place due to the Pacific. Gave wxman57 a couple options a few days ago either arctic or subtropical jet (cross polar continues or blocking pattern in the Hudson) still holds true. First option would be more cold, second option would allow more storminess.

I vote second option, just because we need the storminess (rain). But I can hold off on talk of rain until the Spring thread. Cold is good too. Cold with snow and/or sleet would be the icing IMO.