Late winter storm update–less snow, severe ice storm

Sleet and ice accumulations have reached one inch at my location.  Freezing rain has been falling and is weighing down trees and wires.  Another .25 to .6 of ice could accumulate overnight.  If this verifies, tree and power line damage is likely.  A later change-over to snow may result in less snowfall in the last phase of the storm, perhaps only 1 to 3 inches, bringing the storm total to 6 to 9 inches.

This is a very serious situation.  Be prepared for possible power outages and near impossible travel as this storm evolves.

Major Winter Storm Update

Heavy sleet mixed with freezing rain continues in the Cincinnati metro area.  While icing on trees and wires is minimal so far in western Cincinnati, heavy sleet is building up.  Piles of sleet are accumulating around houses where roof troughs are funneling the sleet onto the ground.  Do not be surprised to find deep piles of sleet in the morning.

Heavy snow appears likely for morning rush hour.  The storm will not wrap up until midday Wednesday.  Heavy precipitation will continue through the night.  A crippling ice storm is ongoing in parts of Kentucky and will likely be spreading into northeast Kentucky.  This storm is beginning to resemble the crippling Christmas storm of a few years ago.  Expect storm total snowfall in Cincinnati of 8 to 12 inches.

Remember that 1 inch of sleet has the same mass as 10 inches of snow and will be very heavy to move, as well as very difficult to clear from roadways.

Ron

 

INZ066-073-074-OHZ070>072-077-280430-
/O.CON.KILN.WS.W.0003.000000T0000Z-090128T1700Z/
FRANKLIN IN-RIPLEY-DEARBORN-BUTLER-WARREN-CLINTON-HAMILTON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…BROOKVILLE…VERSAILLES…
LAWRENCEBURG…HAMILTON…LEBANON…WILMINGTON…CINCINNATI
325 PM EST TUE JAN 27 2009

…WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM EST
WEDNESDAY…

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM EST
WEDNESDAY.

A MIX OF SNOW…SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN WILL CHANGE TO FREEZING
RAIN THIS EVENING. THE WINTRY PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE BACK TO
SNOW EARLY TOMORROW MORNING…AND THEN TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST
TOMORROW AFTERNOON.

TWO TO FOUR TENTHS OF AN INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION ALONG WITH AN
ADDITIONAL 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET WILL OCCUR OVERNIGHT.
ANOTHER 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY.

TOTAL SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATION FOR THE ENTIRE EVENT WILL BE 8
TO 12 INCHES.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW…
SLEET…AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL
VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

Major Winter Storm Update–A lull, then the worst is yet to come

A major winter storm is under way with the predicted 3 to 5 inches on the ground this morning and snow still falling.  This is only the beginning of what could be an historic storm in parts of the tri-state.
 
Snow will ease today and may even taper off for a time.  However, a deepening storm system will cause moisture to surge back later today.  This surge of warmer, moist air may cause a crippling freezing rain storm to our south with mixed precipitation making it into the metro area, but not any farther.  It is still not certain where the changeover line will set up but it appears it will be near the I-71 corridor.  Areas which switch over will have storm totals held down some.  Areas which don’t change over but are close will see the heaviest snow.
 
As the night goes on, mixed precipitation will change back to snow and a band of heavy snow will move through.  Snow now appears as if it will continue well into Wednesday, although at a lighter rate.
 
Storm totals will be 6 to 11 inches with locally higher amounts possible.  This will be a long duration, multi-part storm which will have a major affect on the local area.
 
Ron
 
Ronald E. Rothhaas, Jr.
Arbor Doctor, LLC
http://www.arbordoctor.com
Member,  American Society of Consulting Arborists,
International Society of Arboriculture
ISA Certified Arborist, OH-5177A
B.S. Horticulture Interpretation, The Ohio State University
A.A.B. Ornamental Horticulture, Cincinnati State
Technical and Community College
(513) 661-2673

Winter Storm Warning

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
438 AM EST TUE JAN 27 2009

...SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER EVENT EXPECTED TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...

.LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY
TODAY...LIFTING NORTHEAST TO THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY BY WEDNESDAY
MORNING. THE LOW WILL THEN MOVE OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST BY
WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING SNOW...SLEET AND
FREEZING RAIN TO THE OHIO VALLEY REGION. SIGNIFICANT SNOW AND ICE
ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS SYSTEM.

INZ066-073-074-OHZ070>072-077-271800-
/O.CON.KILN.WS.W.0003.000000T0000Z-090128T1700Z/
FRANKLIN IN-RIPLEY-DEARBORN-BUTLER-WARREN-CLINTON-HAMILTON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BROOKVILLE...VERSAILLES...
LAWRENCEBURG...HAMILTON...LEBANON...WILMINGTON...CINCINNATI
438 AM EST TUE JAN 27 2009

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM EST
WEDNESDAY...

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM EST
WEDNESDAY.

OCCASIONAL SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED TODAY. SNOW MAY MIX WITH SLEET...
ESPECIALLY THIS AFTERNOON. ANOTHER ROUND OF PRECIPITATION WILL
OVERSPREAD THE AREA TONIGHT...CONTINUING INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING.
THE PRECIPITATION TONIGHT WILL BE A MIXTURE OF SNOW...SLEET AND
FREEZING RAIN...CHANGING TO ALL SNOW BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE
SNOW WILL THEN TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET IS EXPECTED FOR
TODAY. ANOTHER 4 TO 7 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET WILL BE POSSIBLE
TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY. ICE ACCUMULATION OVERNIGHT WILL RANGE
BETWEEN ONE AND TWO TENTHS OF AN INCH.

TOTAL SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATION FOR THE ENTIRE EVENT IS
EXPECTED TO BE 6 TO 11 INCHES.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW...
SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL
VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF
WEATHER INFORMATION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES. ADDITIONAL DETAILS
CAN ALSO BE FOUND AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/ILN.

$$


Hazardous Weather Outlook

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
440 AM EST TUE JAN 27 2009

INZ050-058-059-066-073>075-080-KYZ089>093-OHZ042>046-051>056-060>062-
070>072-077-281000-
WAYNE-FAYETTE IN-UNION IN-FRANKLIN IN-RIPLEY-DEARBORN-OHIO-
SWITZERLAND-CARROLL-GALLATIN-BOONE-KENTON-CAMPBELL-DARKE-SHELBY-
LOGAN-UNION OH-DELAWARE-MIAMI-CHAMPAIGN-CLARK-MADISON-FRANKLIN OH-
LICKING-PREBLE-MONTGOMERY-GREENE-BUTLER-WARREN-CLINTON-HAMILTON-
440 AM EST TUE JAN 27 2009

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM EST WEDNESDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL
INDIANA...SOUTHEAST INDIANA...NORTHERN KENTUCKY...CENTRAL
OHIO...MIAMI VALLEY OF OHIO AND SOUTHWEST OHIO.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WARNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WARNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS
TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

$$

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