Snow update Friday afternoon leading into cold weekend and Christmas Eve

Friday, December 20, 2024

Afternoon report

The best way to describe the weather today: Cyclogenesis. A clipper driving across the Ohio Valley is sending energy to a new storm forming offshore. The new storm will move out of range but is close enough that we can be in the transition zone and get this band so snow (and rain) develops in between.

The snow inland today was expected as I wrote for the last two days… I didn’t play it up much beyond what may fall as it looked like a lot wouldn’t stick. We have this to reach its full potential and then some as we head into the weekend. However, as the air turns colder into the dark hours and another push of snow mows parts of the area, I expect we may have some travel issues headed into Saturday morning.

This weekend will be very cold and it looks like temperatures will continue to get colder through the Christmas holidays.

Let’s take a fresh, updated look:

14.00 Temperatures

Just show the marginal air with freezing. It will trend colder after dark in the snowy areas…so icing is possible, with less sticking as more snow falls.

14.00 Doppler Radar Snapshot

This is just to show the extrapolation of snow vs rain…

The ‘Hereford Zone’ in Baltimore County shows this height for the delegation of colder air and snow north and west.

Friday afternoon Surface weather

The old fading Clipper is in eastern Ohio. This is part of the energy transfer to Kystlav under development. That storm will affect the weather tonight with additional snow, but will move out of range by morning.

The snow across north central Maryland through Pennsylvania is part of this energy transfer.

Jet Stream: 500mb Vorticity

1 p.m. Friday

The primary energy at the Jet Stream level (18,000 Ft) located in Kentucky, behind the surface Low…. Strong winds will blow this to shore in the morning.

01.00 Saturday

That energy will reach the Coastal Low well offshore.

7.00 Saturday

The energy will be east of New England, while some additional vortex maxes may swing through Central PA with some snow showers and certainly strong gusty winds.

Jet Stream animation

Friday afternoon to Saturday evening

Surface weather

Friday afternoon to Sunday morning

Here is the reflection of the storm that runs out on Saturday as the cold air fills in behind.

Closer look

NAM 3 km radar simulation

4pm Friday to 7am Saturday

Watch the regeneration of snow in Pennsylvania falling to the southeast overnight. This will affect the Philadelphia metro station and may drop a coating or more across northern Delmarva.

Snapshots

21.00 Friday night

Snow across South Central PA to metro Philadelphia and Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

21.00 Temperatures

The freezing line may reach the areas that first received snow during the day today. Where the soil is wet, I recommend dropping the salt.

04.00 Saturday morning

The last snow flurry across metro Philadelphia may include Cecil County, Maryland and Delaware between Wilmington and Dover.

Snow potential in total

SATURDAY’S WEATHER

Morning temperatures

Afternoon temperatures

Afternoon wind chill

It’s going to be cold at the Ravens Game in Baltimore!

Sunday Morning

The coldest of this stretch…

Sunday afternoon

Perfect conditions for the FITF Beer Debut and Fundraising Event!

Early next week

A weak cold front may move into the colder air and provide a light wintry mix on Christmas Eve morning.

Christmas Eve morning

This proposal for Tuesday morning is subject to change. The trend has been colder and wetter … or smoother.

I’ll leave the potential for Wintry Mix for now… and know that the air following Christmas looks cold too.

7 day weather forecast

The cold seems to last.

This weekend will feel like winter, with temperatures staying below freezing.

It may well be that waves will reach us on Christmas Eve, and then we will stay cold into Christmas – not the warming it seemed before.

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November 22 Snow report

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