2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

Winter Weather Discussion

Moderator: S2k Moderators

Forum rules

The posts in this forum are NOT official forecast and should not be used as such. They are just the opinion of the poster and may or may not be backed by sound meteorological data. They are NOT endorsed by any professional institution or STORM2K.

Help Support Storm2K
Message
Author
User avatar
southerngale
Retired Staff
Retired Staff
Posts: 27418
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2002 1:27 am
Location: Southeast Texas (Beaumont area)

#361 Postby southerngale » Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:13 pm

I hope you're right, Patrick. There you go, giving me false hope again. I'm like a freaking yo-yo, going back and forth from hopeful to depressed. lol
0 likes   

Ed Mahmoud

Re: 2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

#362 Postby Ed Mahmoud » Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:15 pm

Barely flurries here now.


Radar suggests this brief interlude of joy is about over.
0 likes   

User avatar
PTPatrick
Category 5
Category 5
Posts: 1831
Joined: Sat Jun 12, 2004 8:38 am

Re: 2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

#363 Postby PTPatrick » Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:21 pm

http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid= ... 11&loop=no


Southerngale...if you look at the direction your precip it still moving...its from the Southeast to Northwest. Houstons has been from the North for a while now because the low is just getting cranked up and kind of "parked" so to speak. Until the Beaumont is on the Northeast to Southwest moving precip it will likely be rain because its coming form the warm sector of the low. I would give it about 1-2 more hours... for beaumont to start getting into the wraparound. Either way if you look at that yellow echo just west its probably snowing its butt off there so you could away just drive 40-50 miles and see it :)
0 likes   

User avatar
southerngale
Retired Staff
Retired Staff
Posts: 27418
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2002 1:27 am
Location: Southeast Texas (Beaumont area)

Re: 2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

#364 Postby southerngale » Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:47 pm

IT'S SNOWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
0 likes   

User avatar
setxweathergal
Tropical Low
Tropical Low
Posts: 39
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2006 2:50 pm
Location: Beaumont/Lumberton

Re: 2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

#365 Postby setxweathergal » Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:50 pm

southerngale wrote:IT'S SNOWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been cracking myself up...going outside w/the flashlight every 15 minutes or so...you go girl! I think it's still just ice here in Lumberton.
0 likes   

User avatar
iorange55
Category 5
Category 5
Posts: 2388
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 9:47 pm
Location: Big D

Re: 2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

#366 Postby iorange55 » Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:57 pm

southerngale wrote:IT'S SNOWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



YAY!!!!!!!!!!! FINALLY.
0 likes   

Ed Mahmoud

Re: 2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

#367 Postby Ed Mahmoud » Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:01 pm

Meanwhile, here in unincorporated Harris County (Spring ISD), near Veterans Memorial and FM 1960, Elvis has left the building.

Image
0 likes   

User avatar
Extremeweatherguy
Category 5
Category 5
Posts: 11095
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:13 pm
Location: Florida

#368 Postby Extremeweatherguy » Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:12 pm

Sounds like you guys are having/have had one heck of night down there tonight! I hope everyone is enjoying this rare snowfall! :D
0 likes   

User avatar
southerngale
Retired Staff
Retired Staff
Posts: 27418
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2002 1:27 am
Location: Southeast Texas (Beaumont area)

Re: 2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

#369 Postby southerngale » Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:13 pm

setxweathergal wrote:
southerngale wrote:IT'S SNOWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been cracking myself up...going outside w/the flashlight every 15 minutes or so...you go girl! I think it's still just ice here in Lumberton.


lol - you won't need a flashlight for this. It's snowing good. I moved a rocker off the covered patio and it was sticking and started turning white immediately.

Daylight would be better for pics, but I'm taking some anyway.

Ok, back outside!
0 likes   

User avatar
vbhoutex
Storm2k Executive
Storm2k Executive
Posts: 29112
Age: 73
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2002 11:31 pm
Location: Cypress, TX
Contact:

Re: 2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

#370 Postby vbhoutex » Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:21 pm

Snow has stopped on the west side of Houston except for light flurries. Earlier(of course while I was at choir practice and couldn't see it)it was snowing to beat the band!!! My wife took some videos on her digital camera. If we can figure out how to upload them I will. I will upload some pics tomorrow too. Total accumulation before melting here at the house would be 1/2"-3/4" best guesstimate. Some of the snow had already melted by the time I was back out in it.

Let me get this right. I live in Houston, Texas. It is December 10th and we are getting accumulating snowfall??? Someone pinch me!! I must be dreaming!!!! :froze: :froze:

Some of the higher bridges on the East side of Houston(Fred Hartman over the ship channel)have already become impassable due to snow and ice freezing. Some reports coming in of at least an inch on the ground in some areas. I would expect the
East side and Beaumont and some SW LA areas will have up to 2"-3" in some areas before it all ends since the low is building as it moves East.
0 likes   

User avatar
southerngale
Retired Staff
Retired Staff
Posts: 27418
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2002 1:27 am
Location: Southeast Texas (Beaumont area)

Re: 2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

#371 Postby southerngale » Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:41 pm

New WWA. In 2004, all day flurries and I was only able to make about a dime-sized snowball. We already scraped off one of the cars and had a snowball fight! It's still snowing!


Winter Weather Advisory

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1031 PM CST WED DEC 10 2008

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST THURSDAY...

.AN UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM CURRENTLY WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING.
THIS SYSTEM...COUPLED WITH OVERRUNNING MOISTURE AND COLD AIR ALOFT...WILL
YIELD A MIXTURE OF RAIN...LIGHT SNOW AND LIGHT SLEET DURING THE
OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING.

TXZ180>182-201-111215-
/O.CON.KLCH.WW.Y.0001.000000T0000Z-081211T1500Z/
TYLER-JASPER-NEWTON-HARDIN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WOODVILLE...JASPER...NEWTON...LUMBERTON
1031 PM CST WED DEC 10 2008

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST
THURSDAY...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST
THURSDAY.

A LIGHT RAIN AND LIGHT SNOW MIX WILL BECOME ALL LIGHT SNOW BY
DAYBREAK...BEFORE ENDING ON EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. SOME
ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE HALF TO ONE INCH OF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE ON
GRASSY AREAS...AS WELL AS OBJECTS SUCH AS CARS AND ROOF TOPS AS
TEMPERATURES HOVER AROUND THE FREEZING MARK THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY
MORNING. DUE TO RELATIVELY WARM GROUND TEMPERATURES...NOT MUCH
ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED ON ROADWAYS. HOWEVER...EXPOSED
SURFACES...SUCH AS BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES...WILL HAVE SOME SMALL
ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW OR ICE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF SLICK SPOTS.
EXTREME CAUTION SHOULD BE USES WHILE DRIVING ACROSS BRIDGES AND
OVERPASSES.

THE PRECIPITATION WILL END FROM WEST TO EAST BY MID MORNING THURSDAY
WITH TEMPERATURES RISING ABOVE THE FREEZING MARK. ANY RESIDUAL
ICE OR SNOW ON EXPOSED SURFACES WILL MELT BY THIS TIME.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW...SLEET...OR
FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.
0 likes   

jinftl
Category 5
Category 5
Posts: 4312
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 4:47 pm
Location: fort lauderdale, fl

Re: 2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

#372 Postby jinftl » Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:00 am

Obviously no 2 weather events are ever identical...but there are shades of the 2004 Christmas snow event with this system....if the timing was a little different with the moisture and the cold, precip shield moved a bit...but definite 'shades of similarity' in parts (not all....totally aware of just how much snow fell in areas in 2004!) of Texas and maybe Louisiana.

Let's hope the hurricane season that followed in 2005 does not have 'shades of similarity' in 2009.
0 likes   

Ed Mahmoud

Re: 2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

#373 Postby Ed Mahmoud » Fri Dec 12, 2008 9:57 am

I'm not giving up on more winter weather in Dallas, maybe even next week, but it looks like this thread may get little attention from the SETX posters for a while.


But my Mom, two sisters, associated inlaws and nieces/nephews and a brother live in Bedford or Euless, and I can enjoy the thrill of the hunt for winter weather watching in the Metroplex.
0 likes   

User avatar
vbhoutex
Storm2k Executive
Storm2k Executive
Posts: 29112
Age: 73
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2002 11:31 pm
Location: Cypress, TX
Contact:

Re: 2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

#374 Postby vbhoutex » Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:49 pm

The following is a report on the snow event in Texas and Louisiana from Jeff Lindner.
Historical and record snowfall across SE TX and much of southern Louisiana on December 10-11.


While there is no comparison to the December 2004 snowstorm (see attached PDF) which shattered 100 year old records…and dropped a foot of snow in parts of the coastal areas…this event still produced records…when it snows in SE TX it is likely some kind of record.

BUSH IAH recorded its first accumulating snow since a trace on Feb 1, 1994 and the 1.4 inches that fell on Wednesday was the greatest accumulating snow since 1.7 inches fell on Dec 22, 1989. Greater accumulations of 2-6 inches was recorded across eastern Harris County, Liberty, and Chambers County. Galveston Island recorded an inch of snow. Of greater historical significance was the snowfall amounts across southern LA with Lake Charles, Lafayette, and New Orleans all recording measurable snowfall yesterday. North of New Orleans up to 8” accumulated.

The snowfall at nearly every climate site is the earliest snowfall on record at IAH, Galveston, and Hobby, along with Beaumont, and Lake Charles. At Beaumont and Lake Charles this snow event is only the second time in recorded history that snow has fallen in the month of December.

Final Snowfall Totals:

Winnie: 5.5
Liberty: 5.0
Mont Belvieu: 5.0
Baytown: 4.0
Anahuac: 4.0
Brenham: 3.0
La Porte: 3.0
Pasadena: 2.5
Livingston: 2.0
Santa Fe: 2.0
Navasota: 2.0
Kingwood: 2.0
College Station: 2.0
NWS League City: 1.5
IAH: 1.4
Lake Jackson: 1.2
Conroe: 1.2
Clear Lake: 1.0
Galveston: 1.0
Seabrook: 1.0
Sweeny: .5
Cypress: .5
Hobby: .3
Sugarland: .2
Tomball: .1
Bay City: trace
Wharton: trace

Other sites:
Beaumont: 1.8 (all time snowfall record beating .4 on an inch on Dec 22, 1989)
Lumberton: 4.0
Woodville: 3.0
Nederland: 1.0
Orange: 1.0


Lake Charles: .4 (all time record beating .2 of an inch on Dec 22, 1989)
New Iberia: .8 (all time record beating .5 of an inch on Dec 22, 1989)
Lafayette: 1.0 (all time record…no snow recorded ever in December)
Opelousas: 6.0
Tangipahoa: 8.0
Baton Rouge: 5.5
New Orleans: 1.0


Tropical Cyclone Impacts and SE TX Snow:

At BUSH IAH it has snowed 7 times in the month of December since 1895 and 5 of those times saw a landfalling hurricane in the months before the snow event. While there seems to be a strong correlation…it is backwards as there are far more landfalling hurricanes than snow events so while the data seems appealing that when we have a hurricane…we will have a December snow…it does not work out that way when adding up all hurricane impacts vs. snow.

2008: Hurricane Ike—cat 2 at Galveston ---1.4” Dec 10
1989: Hurricane Jerry and Hurricane Chantal---cat 1 at Galveston --- 1.7” on Dec 22, 1989
1983: Hurricane Alicia --- cat 3 at Galveston --- Snow and Ice Dec 22-26
1961: Hurricane Carla --- cat 4 at Port O Connor --- Trace of snow on Dec 13
1929: Hurricane --- cat 1 at Port O Connor – 2.5” on Dec 21-22
0 likes   

User avatar
Portastorm
Storm2k Moderator
Storm2k Moderator
Posts: 9914
Age: 63
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2003 9:16 am
Location: Round Rock, TX
Contact:

Re: 2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

#375 Postby Portastorm » Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:24 pm

Ed Mahmoud wrote:I'm not giving up on more winter weather in Dallas, maybe even next week, but it looks like this thread may get little attention from the SETX posters for a while.


But my Mom, two sisters, associated inlaws and nieces/nephews and a brother live in Bedford or Euless, and I can enjoy the thrill of the hunt for winter weather watching in the Metroplex.


Please don't give up on the season, Ed. We all know what happened the last time you did that! :lol:
0 likes   

User avatar
southerngale
Retired Staff
Retired Staff
Posts: 27418
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2002 1:27 am
Location: Southeast Texas (Beaumont area)

Re: 2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

#376 Postby southerngale » Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:25 pm

Lake Charles NWS report:

A cold upper level low pressure system moved across Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana during the morning hours of December 11, 2008. As cold air aloft associated with this system interacted with widespread rainfall ongoing over the area, precipitation began mixing with sleet and snow, and eventually changed over to all snow in many locations. Snow lasted for several hours, with numerous reports of large snowflakes to the size of half dollars, along with a few reports of thundersnow - lightning and thunder occurring during a snowstorm. When all was said and done, snowfall totals anywhere from a trace up to 6 inches were seen across the area.

Snowfall is rare across Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana, and when snow does fall little or no ground accumulation typically occurs. Therefore, this event easily set numerous snowfall records:

Beaumont/Port Arthur

#

Earliest measurable snowfall on record for the fall/winter season (previous record: 12/22/89)
#

All-time record snowfall total (1.8") for the month of December (previous record: 0.7" on 12/22/89)
#

Only second time in history measurable snow has occurred in December



Lake Charles

#

Earliest measurable snowfall on record for the fall/winter season (previous record: 12/22/89)
#

All-time record snowfall total (0.4") for the month of December (previous record: 0.2" on 12/22/89)
#

Only second time in history measurable snow has occurred in December



Lafayette

#

First measurable snowfall ever recorded in December
#

All-time record snowfall total (1.0") for the month of December (previous record: 0.0")



New Iberia

#

Earliest measurable snowfall on record for the fall/winter season (previous record: 12/22/89)
#

All-time record snowfall total (0.8") for the month of December (previous record: 0.5" on 12/22/89)
#

Only second time in history measurable snow has occurred in December




Code: Select all

                                       12/11/08   Snow Reports
TEXAS                                                                            LOUISIANA
Lumberton          4.0"                                               Opelousas        6.0"
West Beaumont      4.0"                                                  Washington    6.0"
Woodville        3.0"                                                 Eunice           3.0"
Beaumont         2.5"                                                  Oakdale         3.0"
Wildwood         2.2"                                                  Church Point     2.5"
Groves                 2.0"                                              Forest Hill     2.0"
Silsbee                 2.0"                                         De Quincy           1.5"
SE TX Regional Airport    1.8"                                          Vinton            1.5"
Nederland               1.0"                                          Bunkie            1.3"
Orange                    1.0"                                         Elmer             1.2"
Port Neches             1.0"                                               Moss Bluff       1.2"
Jasper                     0.5"                                          Bell City       1.0"       
                                                                           Deridder        1.0"
                                                                              Jennings       1.0"
                                                                              Lafayette         1.0"
                                                                              Lake Arthur       1.0"
                                                                          Sam Houston Jones SP    1.0"
                                                                              Sulphur          1.0"
                                                                              Woodworth       1.0"
                                                                              New Iberia         0.8"
                                                                              Abbeville          0.5"
                                                                        Lake Charles Salt Water Barrier   0.4"
                                                                              Lake Charles        0.4"
0 likes   

User avatar
southerngale
Retired Staff
Retired Staff
Posts: 27418
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2002 1:27 am
Location: Southeast Texas (Beaumont area)

#377 Postby southerngale » Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:41 pm

How do you determine exactly how many inches of snow you got? The closest official reading to me is 4.0 inches, in West Beaumont. I live just to the west of Beaumont. There is no other reading on the other side of me, unless you go many miles to another city, too far away to even come close to being reliable. Also, I took a ruler and stuck it in the ground, while it was still snowing, and it was over 3 inches, but not to 4 inches. Then later, I walked in many spots that were even deeper. The top of the boots I was wearing are 7 inches, and through much of my yard, they were completely covered and I could only see my pants. So did I have over 3 inches, 4 inches, 7 inches, or just no way to tell? I guess it doesn't really matter.... we had a lot of snow and it was beautiful and a lot of fun... I'm just curious. I really didn't think 7 since it wasn't that deep everywhere, but I have no idea how you tell. I just assumed closer to 4 since that was the closest official reading.


Btw, we got down to 28º last night and although it has warmed up to 59º, remnants of our snowman are still in the yard, as well as snow on parts of the roof, a few scattered spots in the yard, and much of the snowman we helped build across the street! I don't think it will survive today, but I didn't expect it to yesterday, either, so who knows!?
0 likes   

User avatar
Extremeweatherguy
Category 5
Category 5
Posts: 11095
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:13 pm
Location: Florida

Re:

#378 Postby Extremeweatherguy » Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:46 pm

southerngale wrote:How do you determine exactly how many inches of snow you got? The closest official reading to me is 4.0 inches, in West Beaumont. I live just to the west of Beaumont. There is no other reading on the other side of me, unless you go many miles to another city, too far away to even come close to being reliable. Also, I took a ruler and stuck it in the ground, while it was still snowing, and it was over 3 inches, but not to 4 inches. Then later, I walked in many spots that were even deeper. The top of the boots I was wearing are 7 inches, and through much of my yard, they were completely covered and I could only see my pants. So did I have over 3 inches, 4 inches, 7 inches, or just no way to tell? I guess it doesn't really matter.... we had a lot of snow and it was beautiful and a lot of fun... I'm just curious. I really didn't think 7 since it wasn't that deep everywhere, but I have no idea how you tell. I just assumed closer to 4 since that was the closest official reading.


Btw, we got down to 28º last night and although it has warmed up to 59º, remnants of our snowman are still in the yard, as well as snow on parts of the roof, a few scattered spots in the yard, and much of the snowman we helped build across the street! I don't think it will survive today, but I didn't expect it to yesterday, either, so who knows!?
The 7" areas were probably the result of small snow drifts.
Last edited by Extremeweatherguy on Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
0 likes   

JonathanBelles
Professional-Met
Professional-Met
Posts: 11430
Age: 35
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2005 9:00 pm
Location: School: Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL) Home: St. Petersburg, Florida
Contact:

#379 Postby JonathanBelles » Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:46 pm

Readings are most accurate away from everything (to avoid inflated snow drift readings). You can always take a few readings and take an average too.
0 likes   

Brent
S2K Supporter
S2K Supporter
Posts: 38089
Age: 36
Joined: Sun May 16, 2004 10:30 pm
Location: Tulsa Oklahoma
Contact:

Re: 2008-09 Texas Winter Weather Thread

#380 Postby Brent » Fri Dec 12, 2008 3:30 pm

The trick in measuring snow consistently is simply finding a good place to measure and a firm surface (such as a snow board) for your ruler to set on. Some people use low picnic tables, some use their car. I don't recommend sidewalks since they tend to accelerate melting. Grass is where snow accumulates first, and it is OK to measure on grassy surfaces, but please know that the snow tends to sit up on top of the blades of grass, sometimes by one to three inches. Your ruler, on the other hand, will go right down through the snow and grass to the ground and give you an exaggerated reading. Just be careful to measure to the bottom of the snow not to the ground.

Measuring new snow accumulation is easy when the snow falls without wind and isn't melting on the ground. But when the wind blows, measuring snow becomes a real challenge. We deal with drifted snow by simply taking many measurements from a variety of locations and averaging them to get a representative measure.


http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/~hail/ho ... p/snow.htm
0 likes   


Return to “Winter Weather”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests