THUNDERSNOW!!!

#1 Postby **PurdueWx80** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 2:08 pm

VERY heavy snow is falling in central IL right now, with visibilities down to zero and temps hovering near freezing. I checked out the lightning maps on Accuweather and saw several cloud-to-ground strikes...lo and behold, it's thundersnowing in Springfield and surrounding areas.

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The weather observed at SPRINGFIELD, IL (KSPI) at 12:54 PM CST was:
  The skies were cloudy.
  The weather reported was moderate thunder snow and fog.
  Temperature: 33F (  1C)  Dewpoint:  31F ( -1C)  Relative Humidity:  92%
  Winds from the N  (010 degs) at 18 mph.
  Pressure: 1000.0 millibars.  Altimeter:29.52 inches of mercury.
  The prevailing visibility was .25 miles.
  There was 0.13 inches of precipitation in the past 6 hours.

Winds have also been gusting over 50 mph at times in Decatur, IL and vicinity....sounds like nasty weather up there.

The dark greens and some of the yellow is very heavy snow, the yellows and oranges are sleet and likely a snow/rain mixture. Some of the areas experiencing thunder snow may see totals over 6" from this storm. This is so fun!! Meanwhile, I'll be checking out the severe weather rapidly developing to the west of me (in Louisville now)! You can see the thunderstorms being reported on this surface map as well..the R-looking thing.

Anonymous · #2 Postby **Anonymous** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 2:16 pm

Enjoy that HEAVY SNOW!!! YEAH!!! WOO - HOO!!!! I hope you get 14 inches!!!!

-Jeb

#3 Postby **Dave C** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 2:51 pm

I remember you mentioned the dynamic cooling with this storm. It's been interesting to watch the rain-snow line racing east and south towards Chicago and vicinity. Nice fetch of gulf moisture also feeding in from south. Maybe some underestimated snow amounts to follow LOL
PS where do you get those maps with the local obs from, those are awesome.

#4 Postby **PurdueWx80** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 2:55 pm

http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather

They have awesome surface maps, model forecasts, satellite images (the best IMO) and links to all the WSR-88D radars.

The ground is warm under the heavy snow, but there have already been reports of 8" in parts of IL!!!

Anonymous · #5 Postby **Anonymous** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 2:59 pm

All I can say is get out there and enjoy that snow!! Savor a nice long leisurely jebwalk and get the shovel and DIG SNOW!!!!

-Jeb

#6 Postby **Dave C** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 3:05 pm

Thanks for link, I have today off from work so can follow this storm closely, locally were going to hit 60 with tropical downpours tonite, looks like next week may be interesting for my area!!!

#7 Postby **Lowpressure** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 6:12 pm

Enjoy your thundersnow. I am trying to get a report from my brother in Frankfort, IN.

#8 Postby **PurdueWx80** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 7:19 pm

I'm guessing the snow is just starting in Frankfort, or will be soon. It started in Lafayette a couple of hours ago and Frankfort is in the county just E/SE of there.

#9 Postby **simplykristi** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 12:33 pm

We had thundersnow with our snowstorm here in KC. Unfortunately I was fast sleep when it happened.

Kristi

KWT · #10 Postby **KWT** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 2:02 pm

ah yes the thundersnow,a great event to witness.

I had some here in the U.K,a Squall line if I remember rightly with real intense winds(60Mph gusts to start of with)intensesnowfall for the first 10 mins(dropped 2 inches in 7 odd minutes)and also some decent lightning.

also evident was the very fast cooling you described,went from 5C to -1C in a minute as the cold front sweeped down,then started the snow.

THUNDERSNOW!!!

THUNDERSNOW!!!

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