That was a doozy!
While it lasted, snowfall rates from today’s storm clocked in at about 2″ per hour. This is the 4th (for some 5th) time this winter we’ve seen snowfall rates over 1″ per hour in a snow event. It’s almost becoming a mainstay that when it snows, we hit a “snow wall” where everything goes white and travel becomes nearly impossible.
Last flakes are falling as of this typing. This was a fast-moving storm that hit us and ran this evening. We’re still tallying the amounts, but here’s a representative sample of what fell:
Count me surprised on that swath of 6-10 inches. I counted on temps being a little warmer with a little less fluff factor. Makes a big difference from last night’s 3-6 forecast to this afternoon’s 6-10 reality. In addition, I’ve come to the realization that the weather models do a horrible job forecasting snowfall amounts when snowfall rates exceed 1″ per hour. Gotta remember to add at least 3-4″ to my forecasts when we see snowfall rates like this again. (And trust me, we will…it’s almost a given in any storm these days.)
Anyhow, the next storm up tomorrow afternoon is also a quick-hitter….but the big difference this time around is the temperature. We’ll nudge the numbers into the low 40s and the end result is liquid sunshine: rain. However, there is a teeny tiny exception. Some cold pockets will still hold through northern Worcester county and across Western Mass. There, a little mix or some wet snow could fall with minor accumulations.
All in all, a quick check of the 7 day shows a nice dose of spring in the short term…and more winter-like cold in the long term. Sorry folks, looks like the flowers and green lawns will have to wait.
Pete