There is an increasing potential for a winter storm in the Midwest, Plains and Great Lakes over the December 5-7 period.
A look at geopotential height anomalies over the middle of the atmosphere from November 28th into the 29th suggest that stormy weather was over East Asia, as evidenced by deep blue negative height anomalies. Using the correlation that indicates weather over East Asia is reciprocated throughout the United States just 6-10 days later, it is expected that stormy weather will be brought upon the US between the December 5-9 period. Model guidance suggests that this potential storm will occur between the December 5-7 period.
Model guidance systems from the GFS (shown above) to the Canadian GEM to the European ECMWF agree that this will not be a huge snowstorm for those that get snow. There is general agreement that a region from Missouri and Kansas to Michigan will get in on some snow for this storm system, with the states of Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin also getting in on the action.
The GFS model's snowfall forecast for this system (shown above) is actually a bit south of other forecasts from the GEM and ECMWF, as shown below:
The European model is obviously much more aggressive with this storm system, and I don't blame it. It will take a little while longer for models to nail down exactly how much precipitation will be in the below freezing air mass, and how much will be in the above freezing air mass. The European solution keeps more precipitation below freezing, while the GFS/GEM agree on more liquid precipitation rather than snow. Regardless of how much precipitation actually ends up in the above and below freezing air masses, it is apparent that someone in the MO/IL/MI region will end up with some accumulating snowfall. I'll stick with the GEM/GFS for now out of caution and a wish to refrain from going all-in on the highest snowfall forecast, but depending on the consistency of each model in the future, my preference may change.
ICYMI: December 2-4 Potential Blizzard
Andrew
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| GEM Model total snowfall forecast (storm system's snowfall seen over MO/IL/IN/MI) |
The European model is obviously much more aggressive with this storm system, and I don't blame it. It will take a little while longer for models to nail down exactly how much precipitation will be in the below freezing air mass, and how much will be in the above freezing air mass. The European solution keeps more precipitation below freezing, while the GFS/GEM agree on more liquid precipitation rather than snow. Regardless of how much precipitation actually ends up in the above and below freezing air masses, it is apparent that someone in the MO/IL/MI region will end up with some accumulating snowfall. I'll stick with the GEM/GFS for now out of caution and a wish to refrain from going all-in on the highest snowfall forecast, but depending on the consistency of each model in the future, my preference may change.
ICYMI: December 2-4 Potential Blizzard
Andrew
1 comment:
How does this look for the St. Louis area?
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