Snow, Noon update: Totals tweaked, timetable pushed back
Generally, 6 to 12 now expected, most of it after dark.
Snow, Noon update: Totals tweaked, timetable pushed back
This already peculiar storm still has 24 to 36 hours to go, but based on what it has seen so far, the National Weather Service is bumping down the overall forecast snow totals.
Instead of 8 to 16 across the region, it's going with 6 to 12, and the best news is that the afternoon commute shouldn't be all that bad. It looks as though the roads will stay wet, and most of the snow in the immediate Philadelphia area will hold off until well after dark. Here is the latest forecast map.
The decision to lower the projected totals was based on a number of factors, says Joe Miketta, a meteorologist in the Mount Holly office. The snow has persisted in a cone-shaped swath radiating outward from near Atlantic City to upstate New York. To the northeast, it's raining in New England.
You can get an idea of the extent of the snow in this Intellicast radar image.
The snow has stopped in western Chester County and throughout just about all of Delaware. Meanwhile, in some of the places where it's been snowing steadily, such as Trenton, the temperatures have remained stubbornly above freezing.
That's discouraged the snow from sticking. Plus, the water content of the flakes is so high that it is inhibiting accumulations.
Miketta said that to the south and west of the city, little additional snow would fall the rest of the day. Just to the north, the total daytime totals should be in the 2- to 4-inch range.
The storm will get cranking in earnest tonight. A wind advisory for gusts up to 50 m.p.h. is in effect from 4 p.m.today until 1 p.m. tomorrow.
But the strongest winds and heaviest snows may hold off until the overnight hours, said Miketta.
Keep in mind that 6 to 12 inches is still a significant amount of snow, and it may be falling heavily during the peak wind period. Some areas might even experience blizzard conditions before this all winds down sometime tomorrow.
In the past 3 storms this winter, the meteorologists have been largely accurate in estimating the impact of the storms. But in the end, it's still about looking at radar and mathematical models, and making some assumptions based on previous storms. Because this is "Mother Nature," sometimes there's no way to tell what's actually going to happen until the front hits. Also, I don't get the negativeness towards teachers. The individual teachers have no say in whether the schools stay open or not. The decision is made by school district officials, city officials, and public safety officials, and is based on what they think is in the best interest of the children and staff, based on the assumption that there will be significant accumulation. Also, I know for a fact that a lot of the private schools and smaller suburban districts discuss amongst themselves to decide, and look at the larger districts to see what they're doing. At this point, I don't think anyone in any school wants any more school days, lest they have to add more days on to the end of the year, shorten spring breaks, or other unappealing options.— marlono- relax!!!!! after working in a business that depends on watching the weather. you learn a couple of things 1) big storms make ratings 2) sponsors are involved. (acme etc) 3) only check www.noaa.gov for the most accurate snow falls. They are not always correct but are better than the rest. At least the government is good for something.— Jack Hammer
- Heh. that was a bit of a Freudian slip... No one wants any more SNOW days.— marlono
- "the water content of the flakes is so high"??? I thought that on this planet, by definition it was 100%.— kierenmcd
Comment removed.- @ nuggett - teachers don't make the call to close schools. Get a grip and learn the facts.— view from the cheap seats
- Folks, it's weather. It's unpredictable. Sure, they use forecast models and that kind of stuff, but hey, can anyone out there tell me when a wind gust is coming along, or when the sun will be covered by clouds? It's weather, not a computer program or a taped message. And, if you don't know by now that the TV stations use the hype so they can get advertising dollars via their ratings, you haven't been paying any attention.— dc_suburb
- Comment removed.
Public School educators are laughable. Go get a real job instead of begging your municipalities for pay raises every year, while only putting in the hours of a part time video store clerk. It's like the old saying goes: Those who can't do, teach".— mikestef100- Comment removed.
- Hey don't dump on Schwartz. He was the only local tv meteorologist to never call it a snowicane or monster storm like Kathy Orr and the Channel 6 guys. His goal is to not panic people.— nbseer
- Poge Mahone ~ Not sure why the National Weather Service would state that since they are the ones that moved the Winter Storm Watch to a Winter Storm Warning and moved the snow totals up from 6-12 to 12 -16 yesterday. I read an Alert from them yesterday with thoses totals so I can't see how Accuweather is any worst than NWS. I'm just saying.— flyers2009
- Comment removed.
- Why is every potential snowfall treated like the end of the world? Schools are closed and trash collection is cancelled for two days before the first flake even falls. The trash could have easily been collected today.... Strange how everyone goes insane when it snows.— Dirk Buzzy
- It is funny that they canceled school.— zippy1346
Tony Wood has been writing about the atmosphere for The Inquirer for 26 years. E-mail Tony here. And read all his columns here.
