OUR SNOW GLOBE HAS ARRIVED… FLUFFY DENDRITES ALL NIGHT LONG AS WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES CONTINUE REGION-WIDE… SNOW WILL LIGHT TO MODERATELY GENERALLY NORTH OF THE PIKE IN E.NY, WMASS AND CMASS UP INTO SVT/SWNH, WITH BIT OF A LULL LATER THIS EVENING SOUTH OF THE PIKE, AND ESPECIALLY IN N.CT BEFORE RESUMING IN STEADY FASHION SOMETIME AROUND MIDNIGHT UNTIL ABOUT 6AM TOMORROW MORNING… PLEASE POST YOUR CONDITION REPORTS (PICS, VIDS, AMOUNTS, INTENSITY, ROAD CONDITIONS, ETC.) BELOW… THANK YOU… (5:50pm Wednesday)

Good evening everybody, with maybe the exception of some areas of northeast CT, CMass and southwest NH, snow has begun across the region.

**>>> 2019 ANNUAL SUPPORT DRIVE <<<** Do you appreciate DHTWN’s un-clickbait-y and hype-free weather reporting style? If so, I’d gratefully welcome your patronage so I can continue it. Secure Support Link (Check, PayPal, Cards): https://westernmassweather.com/donate ------------------------------------------ Dewpoint temps were VERY low to start, and snow has been evaporating and cooling the surface up until the middle of our afternoon. Now as air temps fall a bit, and dewpoint temps rise a bit, they have gotten close enough to each other to allow these super fluffy purdy, sweet lil' dendrites (a/k/a snow flakes) to reach the ground. AIR TEMPS Our temperatures, at this point, shouldn't change a whole lot. Lows are expected to be in the teens across the region, so a very cold and snowy night is in process. At least there won't be any wind! TONIGHT: STEADIER SNOW NORTH OF THE PIKE As low pressure tracks east from Ohio through southern PA, a bit of a drier nose has worked north into central NY and that will translate east into areas generally south of the Pike down into northern CT. Areas north of the Pike should remain in the steadier snowfall. This lull south of the Pike could last for a few hours, but steadier snow should resume before or around midnight, while steady snow should continue light to moderately north of the Pike throughout the event into early tomorrow morning. SNOW AMOUNTS I still think 2-5" is going to cover most of the region (my region is E.NY, N.CT, WMASS, CMASS, S.VT, and SW.NH). I could see many areas in northern CT coming in more like 1-3" given the expected lull, except for northeast CT (eastern Tolland and all of Windham) which should be more like 2-5". Higher amounts in this range should generally fall north of the Rt. 9 corridor in northern Hampshire County, Franklin County, N. Worcester County and southwest NH. I also think SVT, the western hilltowns, northern Berkshire County will see more like 3-6", with a few 7" amounts possible in those areas. **>>> 2019 ANNUAL SUPPORT DRIVE <<<** Does planning for your travel, organization, business or family depend wholly or in part around DHTWN’s work? If so, I’d gratefully welcome your patronage so I can continue it. Secure Support Link (Check, PayPal, Cards): https://westernmassweather.com/donate ------------------------------------------ SNOW QUITS BETWEEN 5-8AM WEST TO EAST Even though the steady snow shield should depart as our Clipper system slides west to east with nothing to slow it down, there may be a few scattered snow showers left behind tomorrow with highs in the mid 20s to low 30s and partial sunshine by afternoon. TRAVEL CONDITIONS TONIGHT While this isn't a huge storm, as the setting sun combines with a very cold ground with snow picking up in intensity (as much as half inch per hour at times, and briefly, an inch per hour is possible), road ways will become slick, so give yourself some extra travel time tonight if you are heading out. WHY ARE FLAKES SO FLUFFY, DAVE? Well I'm glad you asked! Fluffy flakes are my favorite. I love them so much I'm likely going to ask them to marry me tonight. Ok, enough attempts at humor, Dave! Get to the explanation! *DHTWN sulks and slithers under the covers* DENDRITIZ GROWTH ZONE (DGZ) We are getting enough lift (i.e. rising, moist air) up and into the Dendritic Growth Zone (a/k/a DGZ, yeah you know me!) that the type of snowflakes we will predominantly see tonight are called dendrites. These types of snowflakes form best in a layer where very cold temps reside (like 12 to 18 below zero Celsius), and the lift we are getting as warmer air rides up and into our cold dome is intersecting with the DGZ. COLD AIR CREATES HIGHER SNOW:WATER RATIOS In addition, it's very cold out. Dendrites will hold their shape better as they fall through such a cold column. In addition, when it's very cold the ratio of inches of snow to inches of liquid water equivalent (how much water actually falls from the sky, in whatever form it falls) increases. Normally, we can expect a 10:1 ratio (inches of snow to inches of melted water). However, for tonight and similar events, we can see 15:1 ratios, 18:1 ratios, and even 20:1 ratios! That means if we see two-tenths of an inch of water, we normally would 2" of snow, but tonight that would equal 4"! DENDRITES ARE MORE STACKABLE Dendrites, which are the flakiest of snowflakes, are crystalline structures that accumulate the fastest. That means they stack well, with lots of air between them, causing higher accumulations when compared to other types of snowflakes (i.e. plates, columns, needles, etc.). So there you have it! This snow will be light as a feather, and many could probably use a broom to clear their front steps tonight and tomorrow morning. Very little water in this snow. POST YOUR REPORTS BELOW TONIGHT Ok everybody, please post your reports below through tonight as this will be the main post for the evening. I will post an update in the comments below if warranted, otherwise I will post a night-time update around 9-10pmish. Thanks in advance for the reports, and and if you haven't yet had a chance to contribute to my 2019 Annual Support Drive, it's still ongoing. My goal is to have 5% of my audience pitch in what each person feels is right, and so far I'm a third of the way there. -------------------------- Click below for a secure support link with Check, PayPal and Card options, thank you: LINK: https://www.westernmassweather.com/donate Thanks very much, and safe travels to all! ------------ WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES CONTINUE FOR PLOWABLE SNOW TONIGHT INTO THE PRE-DAWN HOURS OF THURSDAY MORNING... SUPER PUFF FLUFF TYPE CONSISTENCY... DRIER THURS AND FRI, WITH MORE MIXED PRECIP SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT... STILL MONITORING FOR POSSIBLE COASTAL SNOWSTORM SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY... (5:55am Wednesday) ************************ DO YOU RELY ON DHTWN'S WORK? Please click the secure link for check, PayPal and debit/credit support options during the 2019 ANNUAL SUPPORT DRIVE CLICK: https://www.westernmassweather.com/donate
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TODAY’S DATE: Wednesday, February 27, 2019

TERRESTRIAL:
HIGH AIR TEMPS: Highs should rise into the upper teens in the Berkshires/Taconics/Litchfields, western hilltowns, SVT/SWNH, and N. Worcester County, while we reach the low 20s for the Pioneer Valley floor down into northern CT and in S. Worcester County.

LOW AIR TEMPS: Lows should drop into the teens region-wide

SKIES: Mostly cloud early, then overcast. Snow arrives between 4-6pm

WINDS: Any brief morning gusts turn to a light south wind

NWS ALERTS: WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES POSTED REGION-WIDE…

CELESTIAL:
–OUR STAR WILL RISE AT: 6:29am this morning
–OUR STAR WILL SET AT: 5:37pm this evening
–OUR MOON WILL SET AT: 11:31am this morning
–OUR MOON WILL RISE AT: 2:43am tomorrow morning
–MOON PHASE: Waning Crescent

SUMMARY:
–Good morning everybody, the wind has just about finally abated as the last of folks are still getting power back and cleaning up after a wild Monday
–For today, clouds increase and lower, and it will be cold, calm and very dry
–Our storm system slides east along a warm front that will remain to our south
–Thankfully, this storm will be all snow (no mix/ice/rain)
–Snow begins between 4-6pm from west to east
–With very cold remnant air mass and ground temps, snow will stick readily to surfaces once it becomes steadier this early evening
–Snow, light to moderate, will fall all night long and into the pre-dawn hours of Thursday morning
–Snow should quit between 5-7am, with a few snow showers or flurries lingering thereafter
–I am going to stick with 2-5″ for the region. The potential is there for this to break a little higher (like a 3-6″ snowfall with a couple of 7″ amounts in the western hilltowns or eastern Berkshires) but I am going to stick with 2-5″ for now
–We clear out by Thursday afternoon with highs upper 20s to low 30s and partly to mostly sunny skies
–Lows will drop into the teens as high pressure moves into the region
–Friday looks nice as well, with partly sunny skies and highs in the low to mid 30s with lows near 20 degrees and increasing clouds
–The weekend still holds quite a bit of uncertainty, especially in terms of how two areas of low pressure are going to interact, where they track exactly, and which one becomes the dominant player
–For now, expect snow showers to develop by Saturday morning, changing to sleet and rain showers in the valley, while remaining sleet in the high terrain before quitting Saturday evening. I will refine this in the future
–Highs look to reach the low 30s to upper 30s Saturday with lows in the 20s
–Sunday starts off partly sunny but then clouds up late, as we watch to see if a trough at the base of a lobe of Arctic air over the Great Lakes can slow enough and pivot to capture a piece of southern stream energy and direct it northeast into our region, bringing more accumulating snow into the Monday morning commute. We shall see

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