NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DECLARES IT A BLIZZARD
EVEN THOUGH, TECHNICALLY, LOGAN ONLY HAD 35+ WINDS FOR TWO STRAIGHT HOURS:
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WERE REACHED AT MANY LOCATIONS ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND DURING THE STORM ON FEBRUARY 8 AND 9. THUS IT IS SAFE TO CALL THIS THE BLIZZARD OF 2013 FOR SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. CERTAINLY PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF THIS EVENT WAS THAT IT WAS MOST DEFINITELY A BLIZZARD.
THE STRICT DEFINITION OF A BLIZZARD IS THAT FALLING AND/OR BLOWING
SNOW REDUCES VISIBILITY TO BELOW 1/4 MILE ALONG WITH WINDS THAT
FREQUENTLY GUST TO 35 MPH OR MORE...AND THAT THESE BLIZZARD
CONDITIONS ARE THE PREDOMINANT REPORTED CONDITION FOR 3 CONSECUTIVE HOURS.WHEN REVIEWING WHETHER A PARTICULAR OBSERVATION LOCATION HAD
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS...WE COUNTED VISIBILITIES EQUAL TO 1/4 MILE
SINCE THAT IS QUITE LOW FOR AN AUTOMATED VISIBILITY SENSOR TO BE
ABLE TO DETECT. WE ALSO MADE SOME SUBJECTIVE DECISIONS. FOR
EXAMPLE...IN MANCHESTER NH...BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WERE MET FOR A
CONSECUTIVE 2 HOURS 40 MINUTES...AND WE CONSIDERED THIS CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE 3 HOUR REQUIREMENT. AT BOSTON LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...WITHIN A 6-HOUR PERIOD BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WERE OBSERVED FOR 4 OF THOSE HOURS. THUS WE DECIDED TO COUNT THIS EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE ONLY 2 CONSECUTIVE HOURS.
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Comments
Blizzard inflation? If the
Blizzard inflation? If the NWS is going to officially declare storms as certain types of storms, they should stick to the definition, and maybe have a tiered system. "This wasn't a blizzard, it was a ____." It's similar to massive straight-line winds versus tornado, where the resulting destruction may feel the same to a devastated block or neighborhood, but the actual meteorological cause differs.
IN EARLY JANUARY THERE WAS A
IN EARLY JANUARY THERE WAS A WHIRLWIND IN MY DRIVEWAY THAT LEFT A LITTLE ROUND PILE OF LEAVES. IT WENT AROUND AND AROUND A WHOLE BUNCH OF TIMES. THUS I DECIDED TO CALL IT A TORNADO.
Too late for Yelling
I totaly agree, the rule are the rules. But my Kids are asleep, Check your caps lock, please.
THE RULES ARE THE RULES.
AND YOU MUST TYPE IN CAPS WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. WAKE UP YOUR KIDS AND INFORM THEM OF THIS PROTOCOL.
PETE NICE
08:37 HOURS
FEBRUARY 12 2013
BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS IT TO BE NAMED
UNLESS YOU ARE INTO LAME MARKETING STUNTS OR AN EMPLOYEE FOR the weather channel OR ANY OTHER nbc/universal AFFILIATE.
EXCEPT FOR TOTALLY EPIC STORMS
BLIZZARD OF '78
APRIL FOOL'S STORM (AKA EASTER NOREASTER)
THOSE WERE TOTALLY EPIC AND GET THEIR OWN NAMES BY POPULAR ACCLAIM.
NEMO? SUSHI FOR NEMO!
WHDH
Pete and Jeremy observed 3 consecutive hours at Logan from 8:30 thru 11:30 Friday night, after which they officially called it a blizzard and geeked out even more than they were.
IIRC:
8:30-9:30 was 40mph sustained
9:30-10:30 was 38mph sustained
10:30-11:30 was 45 sustained