Trio of storm systems could have devastating impact on U.S.

KRT Wire ^ | Jan 04 2005 | Seth Boreenstein

[adaven]

Reminds me of the conditions of the great New Years flood that hit the Reno, Nevada area in 1997. Let's hope it is a colder system, and not a warm system that brings rain to the huge snow-pack we now have in the Sierra Nevada mountain range!

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Ping

[Owl558]

Don't worry, I'm sure the UN will muster up some relief aid for us.

(/sarcasm off)

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

LOL!

I said the other day we shouldn't be giving away all our money!

[rdl6989]

Here in Indiana we are expecting an ice storm. Flash Flood Warnings have been issued for much of the state.

[steve86]

I can confirm the arctic chill has already hit the northwest. But dry, clear skies so far.

[dead]

While the predicted onslaught is nothing compared with the tsunami that ravaged South Asia...

So, if I am to understand these scientists correctly, they are saying that some nasty rainstorms will differ in significant ways from an earthquake and subsequent tsunamis?

I wonder why they didn't let us know if the rain storms will be different than a forest fire, which has exactly as much in common with rainstorms as earthquakes do.

[jwalsh07]

Sounds like a routine winter weekend in coastal New England. A couple of feet of snow, some heavy rain as the Noreaster blows through and then 0 degree temps as the Canadian air is sucked down. Such is life.

[oyez]

Here in West TN, We had our 2" ice storm and 10 degree temps just before Christmas, while today it was 72.

[adaven]

An unnamed warm, moist storm system from the Gulf of Mexico

I think we should "name" this warm, moist storm system from the Gulf. C'mon FReepers, I'm sure we can come up with something!

[Doctor Stochastic]

Northern New Mexico has had rain for a couple of days. Temperatures are much above normal (compared with Christmans's -5.)

[Central Scrutiniser]

Bring it on! In AZ we are in a huge 9 year drought, we need water lots and lots of it!

[rdl6989]

Indianapolis has had unusually warm weather since just before New Years Day. It will drop to the teens later this week when this cold front comes through, then back into the 50's early next week.

[Rudder]

Wagner was worried about the Ohio and Tennessee River valleys as the places where the three nasty storm systems could meet, probably with snow, thunderstorms, severe ice storms and flooding. Some of those areas already are flooded.

It's flooded here (SE Ohio Valley) since it's been raining for two days...and the really big storm hasn't hit yet.

Wonerful...

I sit on a ledge in a big forest overlooking a small creek, except now it's a raging river. This is big time to us. We will likely lose power and be unable to leave (or enter) our homes. These floods are new to us since they began in 1998, but not before. A 100-year flood has occurred four times this summer. Another, the fifth this year, one is occurring as I type. By tomorrow morning I will not be able to leave this place---except by heliocopter.

[expatpat]

Hotlips.

[Auntie Dem]

An unnamed warm, moist storm system from the Gulf of Mexico

I think we should "name" this warm, moist storm system from the Gulf. C'mon FReepers, I'm sure we can come up with something!

How about "Wet Willie"?

[Keith in Iowa]

Here in NC Iowa...

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST THURSDAY...

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVERNIGHT...THROUGH MUCH OF
WEDNESDAY...AND EVEN INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT BEFORE DIMINISHING OR
ENDING EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. THIS PROLONGED PERIOD OF MAINLY
MODERATE SNOW...WHICH COULD ALSO BE HEAVY LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
AND EVENING...WILL PRODUCE TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS FROM 8 TO 12
INCHES...WITH A FEW SPOTS POSSIBLY EXCEEDING A FOOT. THE HEAVIEST
ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD BE ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA...WITH LESSER AMOUNTS FAR
NORTH AND SOUTH. NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS OF 10 TO 20 MPH WILL ALSO
PRODUCE BLOWING AND DRIFTING...ESPECIALLY ALONG EAST TO WEST ROADS IN
RURAL AREAS. SLICK SNOW COVERED ROADS AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES WILL
MAKE TRAVEL DIFFICULT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD.

[CindyDawg]

Well since he'll get blamed for it anyway, we might as well name it George.

[adaven]

Yes, we're bracing for another onslaught here in Northern Nevada:

Severe Weather Alert from the National Weather Service

...GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA-GREATER RENO-CARSON CITY-MINDEN AREA-LASSEN- EASTERN PLUMAS-EASTERN SIERRA COUNTIES- MINERAL AND SOUTHERN LYON COUNTIES-MONO-NORTHERN WASHOE COUNTY- SURPRISE VALLEY CALIFORNIA- WESTERN NEVADA BASIN AND RANGE INCLUDING PYRAMID LAKE- 300 PM PST TUE JAN 4 2005
... ANOTHER POWERFUL WINTER STORM POSSIBLE BY THIS WEEKEND OVER THE EASTERN SIERRA AND EXTREME WESTERN NEVADA...

A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OFF THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST IS FORECAST TO MOVE ONSHORE THURSDAY NIGHT BRINGING AREAS OF RAIN AND SNOW TO WESTERN NEVADA AND THE EASTERN SIERRA. SNOW LEVELS COULD INITIALLY START OUT ABOVE THE VALLEY FLOORS THURSDAY NIGHT BUT WILL DROP ON FRIDAY AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE AREA.

AN INTENSE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OFF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST BY FRIDAY NIGHT WHILE ABUNDANT PACIFIC MOISTURE AND A STRONG JET STREAM PUSHES INTO THE SIERRA. THIS WEATHER PATTERN WOULD BE FAVORABLE FOR PRODUCING A PROLONGED PERIOD OF HEAVY SNOWFALL IN THE SIERRA AND INTO THE VALLEYS OF NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND EXTREME WESTERN NEVADA. THIS PATTERN WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THE DECEMBER 30 AND 31 SNOWSTORM... WITH SEVERAL FEET OF SNOW ACCUMULATION LIKELY IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SIERRA. IN THE VALLEYS AND FOOTHILLS... SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATION IS ALSO POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WEST OF HIGHWAY 395.

PEOPLE PLANNING TRAVEL IN THE SIERRA OR WESTERN NEVADA LATER THIS WEEK AND INTO THE WEEKEND SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ON THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. DRIVING CONDITIONS MAY BE COMPLICATED BY EXISTING HEAVY SNOW COVER IN THE VALLEYS OF WESTERN NEVADA AND NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA. PREPARATIONS FOR THIS STORM SHOULD BE COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

...

[adaven]

Well since he'll get blamed for it anyway, we might as well name it George.

LOL!