2/1/15

Super Snow For Super Bowl Sunday...Touchdown! (snowfall reports through 2/2/15)_*Updated Jan 30th 2020_Five Year Anniversary

SNOWFALL TOTALS FROM SUPER BOWL SUNDAY'S SNOWSTORM
 

DETROIT'S SNOW TOTAL OF 16.7" FOR 2/1 - 2/2/15, PUT IT IN 3RD PLACE FOR 
BIGGEST SNOWSTORM ON RECORD GOING BACK TO 1880.

Snowfall Totals from the February 1-2, 2015 Winter Storm /NWS - DTX/

February started off quite active, as a long duration snow event unfolded across the region bringing the first significant snowfall to Southeast Michigan this winter season.  Over the past few months, the area had managed to avoid a lot of the snow while other states have not had such luck.  Up through the end of January, areas were below normal for snowfall compared to the record breaking winter season of '13-'14.  Then came the storm that ended up dropping over a foot of snow at Detroit Metro Airport!

A  strong low pressure system developed across the Great Plains and drifted across lower Michigan on Sunday and Sunday night. Snow began in the southern counties around 1am Sunday and snowed continuously throughout the day on Sunday. Better moisture arrived by mid-afternoon resulting in heavier snowfall rates (up to an inch per hour in some locations). The system finally pushed east of the region round 7am Monday morning. This long duration winter storm resulted in snowfall totals between 9 and 15 inches across the Metro Detroit area, with slightly lower amounts across the Thumb and Saginaw Valley regions (3-6 inches). 

Radar loop courtesy of Iowa Environmental Mesonet (IEM).  Peach colored boxes are winter weather advisories and pink boxes are winter storm warnings.







PNSDTX
MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-021730-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...STORM TOTALS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
1048 AM EST MON FEB 2 2015
STORM TOTAL SNOW REPORTS
LOCATION                  SNOWFALL     DURATION
                          (INCHES)      (HOURS)        LAT       LON
...BAY COUNTY...
   AUBURN                  M   7.2           24     43.60N    84.08W
...GENESEE COUNTY...
   GOODRICH                M   8.5           27     42.92N    83.51W
   4 N BURTON              M   8.9           27     43.05N    83.62W
   7 W FLINT               M   8.9           26     43.02N    83.83W
   FLINT                   M   9.2           28     43.02N    83.69W
   LINDEN                  M  10.2           28     42.82N    83.78W
...HURON COUNTY...
   5 NNW FILION            M   4.2           24     43.96N    83.04W
   BAD AXE                 M   6.0           25     43.80N    83.00W
...LAPEER COUNTY...
   4 E DAVISON             M  11.0           24     43.03N    83.44W
   LAPEER                  M  11.9           28     43.05N    83.32W
   2 W LAPEER              M  12.3           28     43.05N    83.36W
...LENAWEE COUNTY...
   2 WSW TIPTON            M   9.5           30     42.01N    84.10W
   MORENCI                 M  11.7           30     41.72N    84.22W
...LIVINGSTON COUNTY...
   HOWELL                  M  10.2           28     42.61N    83.94W
   1 N WHITMORE LAKE       M  11.0           29     42.44N    83.75W
   BRIGHTON                E  12.5            M     42.53N    83.78W
...MACOMB COUNTY...
   1 NW ROSEVILLE          M  10.0           26     42.52N    82.95W
   4 NNW RICHMOND          M  11.7           28     42.86N    82.78W
   SHELBY TOWNSHIP         M  15.5           25     42.67N    83.03W
...MIDLAND COUNTY...
   MIDLAND                 M   4.0           24     43.62N    84.23W
   OIL CITY                M   6.0           24     43.61N    84.59W
...MONROE COUNTY...
   DUNDEE                  M  12.0           30     41.96N    83.66W
   CARLETON                M  13.1           29     42.06N    83.39W
   MONROE                  M  14.0           28     41.92N    83.39W
   3 SW MONROE             M  15.0           30     41.89N    83.43W
   4 SSE NEWPORT           M  15.0           30     41.95N    83.28W
...OAKLAND COUNTY...
   1 N FARMINGTON HILLS    M   9.0           28     42.50N    83.38W
   HOLLY                   M   9.0           28     42.80N    83.62W
   FARMINGTON HILLS        M   9.2           28     42.49N    83.38W
   CLARKSTON               M   9.5           28     42.74N    83.42W
   FARMINGTON              M  10.6           28     42.46N    83.38W
   2 S ORTONVILLE          M  11.0           28     42.82N    83.44W
   WHITE LAKE              M  11.2           28     42.65N    83.50W
   4 N NOVI                M  11.5           26     42.53N    83.49W
   4 N LIVONIA             M  12.3           28     42.46N    83.37W
   1 ENE ROCHESTER         M  13.1           26     42.69N    83.10W
   NW SOUTH LYON           M  13.7           28     42.46N    83.65W
   2 NW WATERFORD          M  14.0           28     42.68N    83.42W
   LAKEVILLE               M  14.0           28     42.82N    83.15W
   2 SE LEONARD            M  15.0           30     42.85N    83.12W
...SAGINAW COUNTY...
   5 S MERRILL             M   5.0           24     43.34N    84.34W
   2 E MERRILL             M   6.0           26     43.41N    84.30W
   FRANKENMUTH             M   7.4           27     43.33N    83.74W
   HEMLOCK                 M   7.5           24     43.42N    84.23W
   SAGINAW                 M   7.5           27     43.42N    83.95W
   CHESANING               M   7.7           27     43.18N    84.12W
...SANILAC COUNTY...
   LEXINGTON               M  10.0           24     43.27N    82.53W
   SANDUSKY                M  10.0           24     43.42N    82.83W
...SHIAWASSEE COUNTY...
   2 NE CORUNNA            M   7.0           24     43.00N    84.09W
  6 WNW DURAND             M  10.5           28     42.95N    84.10W
   OWOSSO                  M  10.5           28     43.00N    84.18W
   SHAFTSBURG              M  13.2           28     42.80N    84.29W
...ST. CLAIR COUNTY...
   1 NNW YALE              M  12.2           28     43.14N    82.80W
   COLUMBUS                M  12.3           25     42.89N    82.67W
   ALGONAC                 M  14.0           27     42.62N    82.53W
...TUSCOLA COUNTY...
   CARO                    M   5.5           26     43.49N    83.40W
   1 SSW CASS CITY         M   6.5           28     43.59N    83.18W
   VASSAR                  M   7.0           26     43.37N    83.58W
...WASHTENAW COUNTY...
   SALINE                  M   9.5           29     42.18N    83.78W
   2 WNW ANN ARBOR         M  12.0           29     42.29N    83.77W
   SALEM                   M  12.0           28     42.41N    83.58W
   CHELSEA                 M  12.2           29     42.31N    84.02W
   3 SW YPSILANTI          M  12.8           29     42.21N    83.66W
   MANCHESTER              M  13.0           29     42.15N    84.04W
   SE ANN ARBOR            M  13.5           29     42.28N    83.73W
   ANN ARBOR               M  14.1           29     42.28N    83.73W
   3 NNW MILAN             M  15.0           29     42.13N    83.72W
...WAYNE COUNTY...
   GROSSE POINTE FARMS     M   9.5           29     42.40N    82.89W
   DEARBORN                M   9.6           29     42.31N    83.21W
   3 NE DEARBORN           M  10.0           29     42.34N    83.17W
   1 NW DEARBORN HEIGHTS   M  12.8            M     42.34N    83.29W
   2 NNW LIVONIA           M  13.5           29     42.42N    83.39W
   GARDEN CITY             M  13.5           29     42.33N    83.33W
   ALLEN PARK              M  14.0           28     42.26N    83.21W
   NORTHVILLE              M  14.2           30     42.44N    83.49W
   1 WSW DEARBORN          M  14.5           29     42.31N    83.23W
   WYANDOTTE               M  16.5           28     42.21N    83.16W
   ROMULUS                 M  16.7           28     42.22N    83.37W
   BROWNSTOWN TOWNSHIP     M  17.0           28     42.15N    83.26W
M = MEASURED
E = ESTIMATED
 
 
_______________________________________________________________

 
Update 2/1/15 - Posted 240PM 2/1/15
 
As discussed the past few days; our ongoing snowstorm has shown increasing classic 
atmospheric phasing; resulting in an outstanding moisture supply and good dynamics for
a major snowstorm across much of Southeast Lower Michigan  (see blog updates below
this update)! Yesterday and this morning; the Weather Prediction Center of the NWS in Maryland  
agreed with my analysis yesterday (update 1/31/15) on why we had/have the makings of a major, 
notable snowstorm across the Southern Great Lakes and Northern Ohio Valley (see below): 
 
PROBABILISTIC HEAVY SNOW AND ICING DISCUSSION
NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD
420 PM EST SAT JAN 31 2015

VALID 00Z SUN FEB 01 2015 - 00Z WED FEB 04 2015
 
...CENTRAL PLAINS/MID TO UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY TO NORTHEAST...

QUITE POSSIBLY THE MOST EXTENSIVE WINTER STORM OF THE SEASON WILL
IMPACT PARTS OF THE MIDWEST INTO THE NORTHEAST ON SUN AND MON.  AN
AGGRESSIVE AND SHARP NORTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL AMPLIFY
OVER THE NORTHERN/CENTRAL PLAINS ON SUNDAY AS IT INCORPORATES
SOUTHERN STREAM DYNAMICS AND ANOMALOUS MOISTURE CONTENT EMANATING
FROM THE SOUTHWEST. THIS WILL RESULT IN A SURFACE WAVE DEVELOPING
SUN MORNING OVER THE LOWER MO/MID MS VALLEYS. THIS LOW IS EXPECTED
DEEPEN AND TRACK EASTWARD...REACHING THE LOWER OH VALLEY BY SUN
EVENING AND THE UPPER OH VALLEY/CENTRAL APPALACHIANS BY MON
MORNING.  ANOMALOUS PWS FROM MID-HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE FROM THE
PACIFIC/SUBTROPICAL JET AND LOW-LEVEL GULF OF MEXICO MOISTURE WILL
SURGE OVER AN EXPANDING COLD SECTOR ASSOCIATED WITH A POLAR/ARCTIC
SURFACE RIDGE. THE TREND OF THE GUIDANCE OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS IS
TO GRADUALLY SHIFT NORTHWARD THE WEST TO EAST AXIS OF FROZEN
PRECIP. FOR DAY 1...SUN MORNING INTO EARLY MON...THE GUIDANCE HAS
SETTLED ON A HEAVY SNOWFALL AXIS ALONG THE MICH/IND/OH BORDERS
INTO THE LOWER LAKES REGION...WHERE A SLIGHT TO MODERATE
PROBABILITY OF A FOOT OR MORE HAS BEEN INDICATED.

The latest prognostication, surface, radar and satellite data all continue this trend with 
just a slight upward tweaking of both amounts and area coverage. I do believe we will 
most likely place in the top 25 biggest snowstorms at Detroit with a good chance in the 
foot or better category.

 
SNOWSTORM TOTALS AND WEATHER FORECAST:

Snow, heavy at times with considerable blowing and drifting later afternoon into the night. Winds will pick up from northeast at 15 to 25 mph and gusty, becoming north on Monday. Snowfall, with considerable blowing and drifting snow will create near blizzard conditions at times (the winds must at least frequently gust to 35 MPH for a blizzard). Temperatures will drop to around 8 far north to teens south by Monday morning. Ironically, Monday morning is Groundhog Day and I suspect he might be buried and downright crabby if he is pulled out of his hutch; both here and in Punxsutawney Pennsylvania!

Snow Amount Estimates:
Again; I feel the general model trend and intensification are better inline to what I'm seeing most likely for the event: There will be a somewhat sharp line of demarcation from north to south with this system with highest amounts generally to the south of the delineated area. Look for 4" - 7" north/south in the Saginaw Valley and Thumb Region;  7" -  around 12" from the Flint area east across to Port Huron (I-69) and then; south into the Ann Arbor area to Metro Detroit. Further south across the 1-94 corridor to the Ohio border; 12 - 14+" of snow is possible.
 
____________________________________________________________________________ 
 
Update -1/31/15 - Posted 343 PM 1/31/15
 
First of all up front; let's define Super Snow; when I first sent that out in the title I was thinking of one of our bigger snowstorms in Southeast Lower Michigan; particularly in Detroit where the heaviest snow of the three cities was expected (and still is). I had envisioned of snowstorms of a foot or more when looking at the chart below. As one can see by the chart in which I developed years ago at the NWS for the net (and is kept up to date by the NWS), it's not that easy to officially get a foot or more with just 12 times since 1880 it happening (good way to remember; 12 for 12). Therefore; I thought that would be a good place to start when using the play on words and title "Super Snow For Super Bowl Sunday" At that time, the chances looked fairly low for a foot or more when first issued. Now I'm not so sure they are that low...


Detroit's Heaviest Snow Storms

RankDateAmount
1 April 6, 1886 24.5
2 December 1-2, 1974 19.3
3 March 4-5, 1900 16.1
4 February 28-March 1, 1900 14.0
5 December 18-19,1929 13.8
6 February 12-13 1894 12.8
7 February 19, 1908 12.6
8 January 31-February 1,1881 12.5
9 February 9,1911 12.3
10 March 3-4,1895 12.3
11 January 22-23,2005 12.2
12 January 13-14,1927 12.1
13 January 30-31,1982 11.8
14 January 13-14,1910 11.4
15 March 4-5,1899 11.4
16 January 2-3, 1999 11.3
17 December 19-20, 1973 11.2
18 February 3-4,1901 11.2
19 March 7-8, 1931 11.1
20 January 13-14, 1992 11.1
21 December 31, 2013-January 2, 2014 11.1
22 February 25-26, 1965 11.0
23 December 4-5, 1898 10.6
24 January 4-5, 2014 10.6
25 January 6, 1994 10.3

*NOTE: DETROIT'S 16.7" SNOW TOTAL FOR 2/1-2/2/15 PUT IT 3RD PLACE FOR BIGGEST SNOWSTORM ON RECORD GOING BACK TO 1880.

*Updated 01302020*



Detroit's Heaviest Snow Storms
Rank
Date
Amount
1
April 6, 1886
24.5
2
December 1-2, 1974
19.3
3
February 1-2, 2015
16.7
4
March 4-5, 1900
16.1
5
February 28-March 1, 1900
14.0
6
December 18-19,1929
13.8
7
February 12-13 1894
12.8
8
February 19, 1908
12.6
9
January 31-February 1,1881
12.5
10
February 9,1911
12.3
11
March 3-4,1895
12.3
12
January 22-23,2005
12.2
13
January 13-14,1927
12.1
14
January 30-31,1982
11.8
15
January 13-14,1910
11.4
16
March 4-5,1899
11.4
17
January 2-3, 1999
11.3
18
December 19-20, 1973
11.2
19
February 3-4,1901
11.2
20
March 7-8, 1931
11.1
21
January 13-14, 1992
11.1
22
December 31, 2013-January 2, 2014
11.1
23
February 25-26, 1965
11.0
24
December 11, 2016
10.7
25
January 4-5, 2014
10.6



Latest guidance has ramped up a major (or worst - best if you are snowstorm nut) snowstorm for extreme Southeast Lower Michigan; while still somewhat lesser amounts north of the Flint into Port Huron. As mentioned in previous blog last night; the moisture and dynamics with this system were coming together for this to be a better, more developed Ohio Valley storm that actually slows down some as it approaches western Pennsylvania on Monday.

It's been my observation over the years, usually these St Louie lows are good achievers (but still not as good as the Gulf Low) in their own right as they "paddle-boat" moisture in from the Gulf while they form and develop while moving across the Ohio Valley. What was originally missing like many times (or at least was questionable) was the phasing or interaction of the dynamics in the upper levels to affect the lower levels of the atmosphere. These dynamics are in the form of short wave energy from the northern Pacific, southern Canada and the Central Pacific - which is observed as a "Cut-off Low" (cut off from the main jet stream). Therefore; the amount of energy that was needed to come together to lift and support the increasing moisture pulled north from the SW and Gulf was questionable to produce a major storm.

This distant player in this system is indeed, the large upper low system of the Baja area of California into the Southwest. Even while remaining nearly stationary, it still has been able to pinwheel spokes of energy and moisture from the Pacific over the southwest part of the country. This moisture has been pushed broadly upward into the south and even central part of the country. While the main system stays put, still enough energy and moisture is forecast to be tapped to aid in development of this major Ohio Valley system. See maps and explanations below:

Snowfall and weather forecast:

Snow will commence during the early morning hours of Sunday. Look for the snow to become heavy at times as the day wears on along with a stiffening northeast wind at 10 to 20 mph. Snow, heavy at times with considerable blowing and drifting later afternoon into the night. Winds will pick up from northeast at 15 to 25 mph and gusty, becoming north on Monday. Considerable blowing and drifting snow with temperatures dropping into the teens to lower 20s by Monday morning. Ironically, Monday morning is Groundhog Day and I suspect he might be buried and downright crabby if he is pulled out of his hutch; both here and in Punxsutawney Pennsylvania!

Snow Amount Estimates:
I feel the general model trend and intensification are better inline to what I'm seeing most likely for the event: There will be a rather sharp line of demarcation from north to south with this system with highest amounts generally to the south of the delineated area. Look for 2" - 4" north/south in the Saginaw Valley and Thumb Region; 5" -  10" from the Flint area east across to Port Huron and then; south into the Ann Arbor area to Metro Detroit. Further south across the Southeast corner of Lower Michigan 8" - 12" of snow is possible. If the storm deepens further and slows down more - some isolated 12"+ amounts are possible in those areas.









Latest European Model Monday Morn 2/2/15:

Making weather fun while we all learn,
Bill Deedler -SEMI_WeatherHistorian


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