Texas Winter 2012-2013

[horselattitudesfarm]

A lot of us missed out on the rain again. This is getting old. Less than .50 inch of rain this month in SA and none in the forecast for at least the next 5 days. I really hope we have a much wetter March.

If they could just somehow find a way to turn wind into rain

[cycloneye]

Wow this is in Amarillo. See the details of this blizzard below the photo.



Some important tidbits about this historic blizzard.

*This was the 3rd largest snowfall event at Amarillo -- only behind March 25-26, 1934 (20.6 inches) and December 26-27, 2000 (20.2 inches)
*This was the 2nd largest snowfall for a calendar day -- only behind March 25, 1934 (19.3 inches)
*This was the largest snowfall for a single day in the month of February. The previous record was 12 inches on February 16, 1893

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ama/?n=feb25blizzard

[wxman57]

You can have it, Amarillo! I'll be here instead.

http://www.arts-wallpapers.com/travel_w ... mexico.jpg

[Texas Snowman]

Man, what a historic blizzard in the Panhandle! Would love to have been up there next to a fireplace drinking hot coffee yesterday watching that kind of snow.

Anybody see what the final snow amounts were for other places - Lubbock, Childress, Pampa, Dumas, Woodward, etc.?

[Texas Snowman]

Never mind, here's a graphic from Amarillo NWS:

[Texas Snowman]

Here is Amarillo NWS write-up on the storm. Check out the last line - this morning's daily snow measurement was the highest ever recorded in Amarillo!

-----

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ama/?n=feb25blizzard

February 25, 2013 Blizzard


A historic blizzard struck the Panhandles during the early morning hours of Monday, February 25 and continued through the afternoon hours. A very intense upper-level disturbance produced a band of heavy snow that set up over the central Panhandles from roughly Amarillo to Borger to Perryton during the early morning hours on Monday. Within this band of snow, snowfall rates approached 2-3 inches per hour, thundersnow was observed, and extreme blizzard conditions were observed. As this band moved west and east during the morning hours, many locations from Hereford to Beaver received more than 10 inches of snow. The heavy snow and strong winds resulted in visibilities less than 50 feet at times for many of these locations. As a result, this virtually crippled the entire area and made travel almost impossible. In fact, all roads in the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles were closed, including Interstate 40 from the New Mexico border to the Oklahoma border and Interstate 27 from Amarillo to Lubbock. Conditions were so severe that Texas Department of Transportation crews were not able to work to keep the roads plowed. Rick Husband International Airport in Amarillo was shut down for most of the day. 19 inches of snow accumualted at NWS Amarillo along with a peak wind gust of 75 mph late Monday morning. A peak wind gust of 77 mph was also recorded at the Pantex Nuclear facility. Unfortunately, many motorists were also stranded

*This was the 3rd largest snowfall event at Amarillo -- only behind March 25-26, 1934 (20.6 inches) and December 26-27, 2000 (20.2 inches)
*This was the 2nd largest snowfall for a calendar day -- only behind March 25, 1934 (19.3 inches)
*This was the largest snowfall for a single day in the month of February. The previous record was 12 inches on February 16, 1893
*The 17-inch snow depth at 6 AM on Tuesday, February 26 was the highest all-time snow depth measurement taken at Amarillo. (Snow depth measurements are only take once a day at 6 AM

[Texas Snowman]

More Texas snow totals, this time from Lubbock NWS:

[Texas Snowman]

Pretty amazing week of winter weather just to the north and northwest of my area. Had accumulating snow as close as 70 miles to my house in Denison last week in Oklahoma.

In the last week, Wichita, KS with a historic storm of 14+ inches; Tulsa, OK with a few inches; Oklahoma City with a couple of inches; and Amarillo with 19 inches.

If only one of those storms had jogged south!

[weatherdude1108]

So happy my West Texas friends got snow! Plus, snow = MOISTURE

Meanwhile down here, here is a good collage of photos of the crazy winds yesterday in the area.

http://interactives.kxan.com/photomojo/ ... peeled-up/

[Yukon Cornelius]

Looks like the GFS has another possible winter storm threat for the panhandle and along the red river for around the March 9-10 time frame. A long way out but neat to see.

[South Texas Storms]

12z GFS shows some snow for Austin and SA on Friday night!


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[wxman57]

Last year, we (Houston) were hitting the upper 70s to low/mid 80s from today's date through March. Current GFS doesn't have any 2-meter temp reaching 70F in Houston through March 14th. Not good, but perhaps it'll get me used to Norway summer weather for my trip in April.

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

Well this looks mighty good to see (down there ) : http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/storm_watch_stories3&stormfile=_Crippling__historic_blizzard__blasts_the_U.S._26_02_2013?ref=ccbox_weather_topstories
and I am pleased as punch to see my fave Texan city get it!

Now remember boys Canada came through and supplied you folks with ever so pretty s*n*o*w......so please keep your God awful heat away from here!

[Portastorm]

12z GFS shows some snow for Austin and SA on Friday night!
(map deleted)

Comical. Absolutely comical.

[Cuda17]

12z GFS shows some snow for Austin and SA on Friday night!
(map deleted)

Comical. Absolutely comical.

Have faith, oh master of winter, we are ALL counting on you!

[orangeblood]

Last year, we (Houston) were hitting the upper 70s to low/mid 80s from today's date through March. Current GFS doesn't have any 2-meter temp reaching 70F in Houston through March 14th. Not good, but perhaps it'll get me used to Norway summer weather for my trip in April.

Models are really starting to pick up on a really cold outbreak for 2/3rd's of the US starting around March 8th

[Portastorm]

12z GFS shows some snow for Austin and SA on Friday night!
(map deleted)

Comical. Absolutely comical.

Have faith, oh master of winter, we are ALL counting on you!

I'm trying, brother ... I'm trying.

The Grey Goose-swilling mets at the Portastorm Weather Center are feeling these days like they've let everyone down. We're aware of what orangeblood posted and had heard some rumblings of a potential cold air outbreak around March 5-10. I believe that may be our last gasp.

[Ntxw]

If the EPO dives like the models forecast then we may see that shot of polar air. Of course we've seen the Pacific back out several times this season. I will say this March is on it's way and the averages are rising. Record highs are nearing 100 which can happen that month so be glad a cool start to the month is forecasted. We have a nice glacier to our north to help. The arctic regions have been well below normal, hopefully this will send cooler air the next few months and prevent record heat.

[PTrackerLA]

Amazing that our coldest temps of the winter could come in March.

[Portastorm]

If the EPO dives like the models forecast then we may see that shot of polar air. Of course we've seen the Pacific back out several times this season. I will say this March is on it's way and the averages are rising. Record highs are nearing 100 which can happen that month so be glad a cool start to the month is forecasted. We have a nice glacier to our north to help. The arctic regions have been well below normal, hopefully this will send cooler air the next few months and prevent record heat.

Well, the teleconnection forecasts for early March show negatives for the Arctic Oscillation (AO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) as well as the Eastern Pacific Oscillation (EPO). The PNA pattern shows positive. The signs are there for a possible cold air outbreak but as you so well said it, the Pacific hasn't cooperated. The large majority of the operational model runs for the GFS and Euro show the cold air namely going to the east/southeast like it has done previously this year.

It's the 9th inning for many of us and we're hoping we don't get shutout.