Monday, December 2, 2013

Nowcast: No Snow Problems for Evening Commute or Seahawks Game

I have gotten a number of emails from folks worrying about snow during the commute and after the Seahawk's game in Seattle tonight.

There will be no problems during the commute tonight and I don't think driving home from the game will be much of an issue.  But don't be surprised if some snow flurries/dusting occurs around 9-10 PM or so.

Right now (4:45 PM), the SnowWatch web site shows that air temps around 40 and the road temps are in the mid-40s (see graphic)

Cold air has just started to push out of the Fraser Gap into Bellingham, where snow began at 4:42 PM.  It is very light and will take 4-5 hrs to reach Seattle.  The latest radar shows two major local bands of precipitation over the lowlands: a convergence zone band over Snohomish County and northern King County and a band south of Bellingham associated with the Fraser River outflow.  The latter band will move south in time.  It may rev up when it interacts with the convergence zone band, which should weaken in time.    Anyway, there should be a line of weak convective showers leading the northerlies that pushes southward into Puget Sound during the middle evening.


According to the Snowwatch temperature information, the freezing level was at around 2000 ft at 4 PM.   The snow level is about 1000 ft below that.  The air is cooling, so the snow level will probably get to around 500 ft by 10 PM.   So near sea level I would expect the precipitation to start as rain as the band comes through.  Over time, melting and evaporation could help bring some flakes to near sea level, but road surfaces will be warm.   And the snow will move through quickly.

Bottom line:  no real threat at sea level even if the worst scenario occurs.  So enjoy shopping or going to the Seahawks game...the weather won't stop you....


PS:  There are more chances of snow in our future!


Announcement

Are you in venture capital/private equity and have an office in the Bay Area, or knows someone who does?
If so, I have a question for you. Please send me an email (cmass at uw.edu) ....thanks, cliff

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