Blizzard pt. 2

Part two of the blizzard of '07 resulted in several more inches of snow last night and early this morning. It is always hard to get an accurate snowfall measurement during a blizzard due to the considerable blowing and drifting that occurs, but the textbook rule is to take three separate measurements and get the average. Doing this, I figure we got 10.5 inches during the second round of the storm. This, combined with the 7.5 inches from round one, plus the two inches of fluffy snow that accumulated this afternoon, results in a storm total of 20 inches. 20 inches! Definitely one of the most significant blizzards of all time for the area (although, admittedly, it would be more significant if there hadn't been such a long lull between the two precip episodes). Storm total accumulations generally ranged from one to two feet across the region, with a few isolated higher amounts. Winds have died off somewhat, but blowing and drifting is likely still a problem on the ridges. Some very light snow showers or flurries should persist through Monday, with little (if any) accumulation.

Now forecasters can turn their attention to the storm for later this week, which is looking more interesting all the time. Some of the models are indicating a more southerly track, which would result in more snow. The current forecast carries a chance for rain or snow, but the bottom line is that a significant amount of either would not be good. Heavy rain could lead to some serious melting issues, resulting in flooding problems, while another bout of significant snow would add to the existing snowpack and increase the threat of flooding in the future. Once again, it will be an interesting weather week.