Chris's Corner - Valentine's Day Winter Storm

first of all, I'm sorry about your boat, and dock etc. Without electric, you probably had frozen water pipes too.  You're relatively young in fact the same age as my 3rd born.  you will see many more cold snaps like this in your lifetime.  In fact, as you pore over records in 30 or so years, you may scroll on past this year for its relative unremarkable signature.   You may have some vague recollection, but the only thing historic about it, imo, is the long staying power in February - 2 weeks below freezing.  For you, it was historic.  For me as a grumpy old man it goes in my memory as a strong cold snap here in St. Louis with about the same power as many other cold snaps in my 57 years of life.   Right now, models have no pattern in sight for any additional cold or snow here in St. Louis.  If this were it, as far as winter,  then I will remember this winter as mild except for "that one 2 week period in February".   That, by the way, is how I describe winters in St. Louis to international people who come to St. Louis to work with me.  They so look forward to cold and snow, but I tell them typically we get a few weeks of cold with snow, and a lot. of. rain...otherwise.  You can count on snow in Iowa and Minnesota almost every week it seems.  Here, it's once or twice in a typical winter.  It's probably the worst that several on this board saw so far....there'll be more...unless linear global warming is a thing...lol.

By the way, my perspective....where I grew up, you could count on 1 warning level event per year and when I moved to St. Louis in the mid 80s, you could count on 2 or 3 warning level events per year and several advisory level events.  That started to change in the mid 90s.  You could still count on 1 warning level event per year even then at least, until a few years ago when we went a couple years without a warning level event.  Weather patterns do change.   They'll change back. 

You didn't put that disclaimer on your original premise.

I think parts of Iowa had 30 plus inches on the ground before today. Midway airport in chicago had 26 or 27 on the ground a few days ago. Parts of AR probably weren't far behind. Temps overperforming here. Into the low 50s. Windy
Getting swampy.

Windows open today. Beautiful out come on spring lets get some good ole thunderstorm events

Looks like we may not get much if any rain this afternoon...radar looks like it's mostly virga so far.

All virga here so far

I've heard a lot of chatter about this upcoming severe season having a very high ceiling. But I take anything "accu"weather says with a big grain of salt

If I recall, I didnt think Dr. Reed Timmer works for them anymore? But he's in the article. Thought he went his separate way and left Accu.

wicked.

I made it into the driveway before I realized the garage door didn't open, lost momentum, and promptly got stuck. Had to shovel the 6 plus inches of compacted snow to get the rest of the way into the garage. Took me an hour and a half to finish the driveway, sidewalks, and front steps/porch. The piles on the sides are now about halfway up me, and I'm 5'5".

Just a reminder that the virtual storm spotter classes begin tomorrow evening.

Looks like the light mist/rain we’ve had this evening has really put a dent in the snow. However, there’s puddles and liquid running on roads. Any chance it will ice over by morning?

Wow that is awesome!

Wow that’s a blast from the past. Ollie something or other?