Watching out for Winter Weather in Memphis

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jkt21787
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Watching out for Winter Weather in Memphis

#1 Postby jkt21787 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 5:55 am

It is currently 5 AM, the temperature is a cold 36 degrees here at home with gusting winds over 20 mph.

Right now, Rain is coming down in buckets. Noticing some rather high reflectivies back to our west on radar that could signal some sleet or freezing rain beginning to develop.

The National Weather Service, as expected, has issued a winter storm warning for this area, calling for over a quarter inch of ice followed by 1 to 3 inches of snow.

Will be updating the situation as it develops this morning.
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#2 Postby jkt21787 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:18 am

Now 6:15 AM, the temperature is about 34 degrees. Reports already coming in of the sleet in the downtown area, with the temperature there at 32. 33 right now in West Memphis, and 38 at the airport (which is always warmer than the rest of the world!)

After checking outside, still all rain here, but with the temp that should change soon. Still a large area of rain on radar. The backedge is not too far to the west, but is making very slow progression. in addition, rain now redeveloping in southern arkansas headed this way with another area back in OK and TX.
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#3 Postby jkt21787 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 8:14 am

Another update, now at 33 degrees here with 32 just north at Millington. Rain is moving out though, and only a few reports of sleet so far in the metro area.

Some precip is in Arkansas, but not a whole lot of development thus far. Big area of precip is back in OK and TX and this will move in tonight, by then a lot of it will probably be snow.

Warning continues for the area, more updates soon.
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#4 Postby wx247 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:44 am

Any updates???
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#5 Postby jkt21787 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:56 am

Sorry for the delay, it seems the board went down at least on my end.

As of 11 AM the next round of precip is moving in. The temperature is 32 here and the precipitation is falling as freezing rain with a little sleet. There is a glaze forming on the trees and some power lines, but not quite yet on cars and other things closer to the ground as it still is a bit warm.

The warning will continue, and looking at the radar SW of us, definitely looks good. Large area of freezing/frozen precip now moving into Southern AR and Northern LA from TX and OK and it is heading this way.

Latest models still indicate a serious ice event until midevening when snow begins. A few inches of snow seem very possible. Also Arkansas is beginning to solidify in precip.

Several accidents reported, mainly from rain, that is how we drive here!
To the north, it is more serious with numerous accidents and trees reported down in Northwest TN, some snow and ice accumulation in the bootheel and Jonesboro area of Northeast Arkansas.

Will have more later.
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#6 Postby BreinLa » Wed Dec 22, 2004 12:01 pm

Thanks for keeping us updated, I am coming your way tomorrow night or Friday morning, hopefully the interstates will be clear of ice, etc.
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#7 Postby wx247 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 12:20 pm

BreinLa wrote:Thanks for keeping us updated, I am coming your way tomorrow night or Friday morning, hopefully the interstates will be clear of ice, etc.


I would wait until Friday. Definitely better driving conditions then.
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#8 Postby jkt21787 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 1:14 pm

Here is another update. Right now, temp here is 31 degrees with light freezing rain with a little sleet continuing. So far, just a very light glaze with roadways still wet. Radars showing large shield of precip in central arkansas with thunder even being reported. This will bring significant ice this afternoon and evening, with snow around midnight. Weather service says over 1/4 inch of ice and 1-3 inches of snow for us, they just updated the warning and expanded much further south into Mississippi.

It is going to be a long day...It already has been really.
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#9 Postby wx247 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 1:16 pm

Ice accums will likely be closer to a 1/2" there and just north of you!!
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#10 Postby LSU2001 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 1:17 pm

:grr: I'm jealous
Tim
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#11 Postby wx247 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 1:19 pm

lsu2001 wrote::grr: I'm jealous
Tim


You won't be jealous when people up that way start losing power. :eek:
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#12 Postby jkt21787 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 2:22 pm

Now it is snowing!

We had a good period of sleet and freezing rain which coated the ground nicely, making long icicles and the driveway quite slippery. Trees are COVERED.

About 20 minutes ago it changed to snow, still very light. If it hangs around for this mess in Arkansas, then this could be huge. If its ice, it will also be huge.
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#13 Postby jkt21787 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 2:31 pm

I will be gone for about an hour or two. Heavy precip will move in shortly, I have more later.
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#14 Postby Brent » Wed Dec 22, 2004 2:56 pm

wx247 wrote:
lsu2001 wrote::grr: I'm jealous
Tim


You won't be jealous when people up that way start losing power. :eek:


Yes... I'd like all the snow I can get, but no thanks on the power outages. :(

Oh and NO ICE!!!
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#15 Postby jkt21787 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 4:21 pm

I am back, and it was quite unbelievable. First of all, it is now almost all sleet, and very heavy. It was so loud in the car with the sleet pounding on the roof. Snow and freezing rain is mixing in, but not too much now.

Roads are horrible. When I left at 1:30, roads were wet. Within a half hour, they were covered in sleet and slush. There are accidents everywhere, on the interstates and side streets. Rescue calls were made in crittenden county from people trapped in the car (where West Memphis is). I think we may change to snow soon based on reports from the West and North.

Easily a half inch of sleet already, with some snow too, and a tenth inch of ice coating the trees. This will be huge for some area, and it is just the afternoon, the worst it yet to come.
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#16 Postby wx247 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 5:10 pm

Looks like the changeover may happen earlier this evening than expected for you. Keep us posted. Amounts of snow could be greater than 3" depending on timing of final changeover.
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#17 Postby wlfpack81 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:21 pm

I'm in Memphis (Cordova actually) visiting family so I can help w/updates as well. Sleet/Frz Rain/Snow continues to come down and the roads are fairly good and covered here. Has been amazing to watch this come down today. Thankfully I left Norman, OK Tue morning to come here or else I would've been in big trouble (Cent OK received snow as well today).
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#18 Postby jkt21787 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 8:09 pm

As of 7 PM, the changeover the snow has not occurred, and the back edge of the precip is fast approaching. Still see some wraparound west of Little Rock, but certaintly doesn't look like more than an inch or so from this.

Overall, been about 2 inches of sleet, a thin layer of ice underneath, and some snow mixed in, but not much. Winds are gusting well over 30 mph and causing almost a blowing snow feeling although that is not what it really is. With temps moving towards the teens, the wind chill is quckly nearing zero. A very cold night in store with at least some snow showers likely.
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#19 Postby breeze » Wed Dec 22, 2004 8:16 pm

JKT, I'm over in southern middle-TN, and, all eyes are
looking your way! They're forecasting 1"-3" of snow for
us - everything is soaked from the rain - TDOT can't even
salt the roads, yet, so, it looks to be a mess, overnight.
And, Bre, you be careful on that trip north, and, don't
forget to give me a yell!
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#20 Postby jkt21787 » Wed Dec 22, 2004 8:30 pm

Nice to hear from you breeze. Same situation with the salting occurred here in Memphis. People called the Tv station wanting to know why salt wasn't put on the roads beforehand, and of course it couldn't because the rain would have washed it away. The roads here are horrendous. They are sleet or slush COVERED, and there is even blowing and drifting sleet, if that can even exist, with visibilities well under a mile. Winds are brutal.

BTW, looking at sfc data from AR, so far only light snow from this wraparound precip, but radar does show some banding of the snows, so this could end up being a sufficient snow maker.
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