Wednesday, December 1, 2010

No operations today, 12/1/2010

Earlier in the week we mentioned the possibility of 3 more deployments before the end of the field project.  That forecast was based the expected snow and wind event on Monday into early Tuesday (Deployment #4), the threat of light snow today and tonight, and the threat of snow this weekend.  Late this morning, however, we're seeing sunny skies across eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota with the light snow located farther west, in central and western North Dakota.  This band of snow is expected to slide southeast into northern South Dakota and eventually into southwestern Minnesota and western Iowa.  So, for today, there are no operations planned since the snow is too far west (and eventually south).

As of this morning, the forecast for Thursday is dry, as a weak ridge of high pressure continues to keep conditions relatively pleasant.  The best option for our 5th, and likely last, deployment arrives on Friday as an upper-level disturbance moves through the Dakotas and into Minnesota during the day.  Forecast models have been pretty persistent for the last week to ten days suggesting the threat of snow during the Friday-Sunday period, and currently it appears that the snow event will occur on Friday.

-Media Team

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Deployment #4 is in the books!

Radar operations with the DOW and UND's NorthPol radar were suspended this morning as the snow event transitioned to a blowing snow event.  The SNOwD UNDER team is looking forward to a few down days to rest after the high operational tempo we've kept over the last ten days.  Operations appear possible this Saturday as another storm begins to move into the area.  Stay tuned for more details as the weekend approaches.


As always, you can view our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/snowdunder and read the daily forecast briefings at http://stwrc.und.edu/snowdundr/fcsts/dailyfcst.html.


- Media Team.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Deployment #4 underway

The DOW is in the field once again and has been collecting data since around noon today.  Snow accumulation in the range of 1-5" is expected within the study domain accompanied by considerable blowing.

-Media Team

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Sunday (11/28) Briefing Summary

Freezing drizzle expected tonight, however, there will be no operations.  Snow is likely Mon. afternoon into Tue. morning.  Operations are likely. Details will be worked out at the 8am briefing tomorrow!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Sunday's forecast briefing

Sunday's forecast briefing will be held at 11 am in RWIC. See you there!

Saturday's forecast

Dry and warming conditions will continue to be the trend as we go through the weekend as upper-level ridging continues to build into the region. Sunday night a long-wave trough will move out of the west towards the Great Plains. This upper level wave will be in conjunction with the 500 mb wave and vorticity. This will lead to prime conditions for lee cyclogenesis in Colorado on Sunday. On Sunday, an area of low pressure is forecast to rapidly develop/deepen over eastern CO and move northeastward during the evening towards the Dakotas. As the low approaches the SNOwD UNDER domain, the low is expected to weaken some, but none-the-less provide nearly 24 hours of light-moderate snowfall late Sunday night into late Monday night. The storm is still too far away and the models are not in agreement therefore, start time nor snowfall accumulation amounts cannot be exactly determined at this point.

Today: Expect temperatures to be in the mid 20s with breezy southerly winds. Cirrus clouds will start to approach the domain during the afternoon hours, but will likely be partially to fully obscured by low-level stratus.


- Lead Forecaster

Friday, November 26, 2010

More potential deployment opportunities this week

Monday begins the last, and final week of SNOwD UNDER.  To date, we have three deployments with the DOW and several aircraft flights.  Not bad for the first two weeks!  The GFS is hinting at a possible deployment opportunity late Sunday or early Monday.  At least two more snow events are possible after the next one and before the DOW leaves December 6th. Confidence is low in the latter two events at this point, but the situation bears watching.

Stay tuned for more updates through the weekend and make sure to check out our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/snowdunder.  You can also subscribe to our Atom RSS feed below.


- DOW Media Team