Sunday Snowstorm, 1/18/09

CanisLupusArctos · 01-18-2009, 01:04 PM

Despite earlier predictions for only about 6 inches of snow at the northwest end of the lake, Black Cat Island Weather Station now has 8.5 inches of snow from today's storm and snow continues to fall heavily. This will easily stack up to more than a foot.

The reason is the major fluff factor plus the fact that topography is playing a role today. East-facing slopes are getting the most out of this one, because the moisture is getting funneled in from the Atlantic. This end of the lake has also been known to get ocean influence long before Laconia or Moultonborough Center does (located south and north by a few miles each.) That is because the lake itself is a NW-SE elongated waterway and has mountains on either side that act as a funnel for any weather blowing from either direction.

Amounts vary greatly around the area. The area from Rochester to Alton and along the east side of Mts. Blue Job and Major is also doing well with the snow today, and will likely end up with more than a foot.

Center Harbor will also do well, east of the Squam Mountains... and will likely end up with 15 inches or so.

Ropetow · 01-18-2009, 02:20 PM

Is Yuki ready? Does he go out to measure wearing boots, or is he a rugged NH cat?

CanisLupusArctos · 01-18-2009, 03:58 PM

11.1 inches at Black Cat... 21 inches on the ground. It has stopped snowing but will probably start back up at some point before midnight.

This'nThat · 01-18-2009, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CanisLupusArctos

11.1 inches at Black Cat.

I notice that the 11.1 inches of snow was produced by only 0.38 inches of water. That's a 30:1 expansion! Very unusual around here. The snow was so dry that even the slush piled up at the end of the driveway by snowplows was light.

BTW, the "average" snow to liquid ratio is 10:1. A 30:1 ratio is considered "extreme".

SteveA · 01-19-2009, 08:49 AM

What a beautiful morning. Just about 12" of fresh snow.

This is the Gunstock River this AM, just behind the house. When my flatlander friends ask "How can you stand living in NH in the winter", I'm going to show them this picture!

Name: Gunstock Rive Gilford 1-19-09 1.jpg
Views: 1699
Size: 181.9 KB

Name: Gunstock Rive Gilford 1-19-09 1.jpg
Views: 1699
Size: 181.9 KB

Gatto Nero · 01-19-2009, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveA

When my flatlander friends ask "How can you stand living in NH in the winter", I'm going to show them this picture!

Attachment 2301

That should shut'em up for a while. Nice picture!

Lynnio · 01-19-2009, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveA

What a beautiful morning. Just about 12" of fresh snow.

This is the Gunstock River this AM, just behind the house. When my flatlander friends ask "How can you stand living in NH in the winter", I'm going to show them this picture!

I'm coming out of a year and a half of lurkdom to make my first post and say WOW -- that is an absolutely gorgeous photo. If all goes as planned, within the next year my husband and I will be NH Lakes Region residents. Looking forward to the gorgeous year-round scenery up close and in person!

CanisLupusArctos · 01-19-2009, 01:36 PM

Incredible photo, SteveA! You should submit that to MVSB's calendar contest for next year.

This'N'That, thanks for bringing up the unusual snow-water ratio. Much more common for out west than for here. Out west, they get a Pacific moisture feed plus dry continental air merging over the mountains. Here, we just had the Atlantic feed merging with dry continental air. Usually the Atlantic feed wins because it's so close. Not this time!

We ended up with 13.5 inches on Black Cat.

Once more I noticed the lake's effect on bringing the ocean's influence inland. This happened last winter a couple times when a southeast wind reached Center Harbor and made a changeover to sleet, even when Moultonborough and Laconia were still snowing.

In the storm snow totals I saw that the amounts along the immediate shores of the lake, as far NW as Center Harbor, were all in the jackpot together. I think the lake acted as a runway for bringing the ocean moisture farther inland than it otherwise would've reached.

The lake is aligned NW-SE and has mountains on its north and south sides as well as the NW end. Alton Bay is open to the SE. I am guessing the ocean's influence enters around there, and blows along the main part of the lake until it reaches the Squam Mountains at the other end.

One more localized effect we had today: There were some very nice fog-and-light effects on the lake this morning around sunrise. I checked the obs around the area and they were all in the 20s. We were 9 degrees on the island. My guess is, the lake ice was absorbing heat from the "warmer" air mass above it, thus keeping the islands and immediate shores colder than the rest of the area -- just like what happens in spring.

Waterbaby · 01-19-2009, 09:21 PM

Absolutely beautiful, Steve -- TY for sharing! (Now, if I could figure out how to make that my desktop background, I may not dislike this winter so much!)

Resident 2B · 01-19-2009, 10:51 PM

WB,

Assuming your are running Windows, just right click the photo and select Set As Background in the box that appears. That should do it.

R2B

SteveA · 01-20-2009, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waterbaby

Absolutely beautiful, Steve -- TY for sharing! (Now, if I could figure out how to make that my desktop background, I may not dislike this winter so much!)

Thanks all, just lucky to be in the right place at the right time. It does make a nice wall paper.

The right click and select and "set as background" worked for me.

01-18-2009, 01:04 PM	#1
CanisLupusArctos Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Center Harbor Posts: 1,049 Thanks: 15 Thanked 472 Times in 107 Posts	Sunday Snowstorm, 1/18/09 Despite earlier predictions for only about 6 inches of snow at the northwest end of the lake, Black Cat Island Weather Station now has 8.5 inches of snow from today's storm and snow continues to fall heavily. This will easily stack up to more than a foot. The reason is the major fluff factor plus the fact that topography is playing a role today. East-facing slopes are getting the most out of this one, because the moisture is getting funneled in from the Atlantic. This end of the lake has also been known to get ocean influence long before Laconia or Moultonborough Center does (located south and north by a few miles each.) That is because the lake itself is a NW-SE elongated waterway and has mountains on either side that act as a funnel for any weather blowing from either direction. Amounts vary greatly around the area. The area from Rochester to Alton and along the east side of Mts. Blue Job and Major is also doing well with the snow today, and will likely end up with more than a foot. Center Harbor will also do well, east of the Squam Mountains... and will likely end up with 15 inches or so.

01-18-2009, 02:20 PM	#2
Ropetow Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Rochester, NH / Bartlett, NH Posts: 322 Thanks: 228 Thanked 33 Times in 13 Posts	It's measurement time Is Yuki ready? Does he go out to measure wearing boots, or is he a rugged NH cat? Last edited by Ropetow; 01-18-2009 at 02:21 PM. Reason: typo

01-19-2009, 08:49 AM	#5
SteveA Deceased Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 2,311 Thanks: 1,070 Thanked 2,054 Times in 497 Posts	About 1.8 Yuki's What a beautiful morning. Just about 12" of fresh snow. This is the Gunstock River this AM, just behind the house. When my flatlander friends ask "How can you stand living in NH in the winter", I'm going to show them this picture! __________________ "Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry he'll be a mile away and barefoot!" unknown

01-19-2009, 09:21 PM	#9
Waterbaby Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kensington, NH and Paugus Bay Marina Posts: 656 Thanks: 323 Thanked 17 Times in 13 Posts	Absolutely beautiful, Steve -- TY for sharing! (Now, if I could figure out how to make that my desktop background, I may not dislike this winter so much!) __________________ On the boat is always waterfront!

01-18-2009, 03:58 PM	#3
CanisLupusArctos Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Center Harbor Posts: 1,049 Thanks: 15 Thanked 472 Times in 107 Posts	11.1 inches at Black Cat... 21 inches on the ground. It has stopped snowing but will probably start back up at some point before midnight.

01-19-2009, 01:36 PM	#8
CanisLupusArctos Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Center Harbor Posts: 1,049 Thanks: 15 Thanked 472 Times in 107 Posts	Incredible photo, SteveA! You should submit that to MVSB's calendar contest for next year. This'N'That, thanks for bringing up the unusual snow-water ratio. Much more common for out west than for here. Out west, they get a Pacific moisture feed plus dry continental air merging over the mountains. Here, we just had the Atlantic feed merging with dry continental air. Usually the Atlantic feed wins because it's so close. Not this time! We ended up with 13.5 inches on Black Cat. Once more I noticed the lake's effect on bringing the ocean's influence inland. This happened last winter a couple times when a southeast wind reached Center Harbor and made a changeover to sleet, even when Moultonborough and Laconia were still snowing. In the storm snow totals I saw that the amounts along the immediate shores of the lake, as far NW as Center Harbor, were all in the jackpot together. I think the lake acted as a runway for bringing the ocean moisture farther inland than it otherwise would've reached. The lake is aligned NW-SE and has mountains on its north and south sides as well as the NW end. Alton Bay is open to the SE. I am guessing the ocean's influence enters around there, and blows along the main part of the lake until it reaches the Squam Mountains at the other end. One more localized effect we had today: There were some very nice fog-and-light effects on the lake this morning around sunrise. I checked the obs around the area and they were all in the 20s. We were 9 degrees on the island. My guess is, the lake ice was absorbing heat from the "warmer" air mass above it, thus keeping the islands and immediate shores colder than the rest of the area -- just like what happens in spring.

01-19-2009, 10:51 PM	#10
Resident 2B Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North Shore, MA Posts: 1,357 Thanks: 994 Thanked 313 Times in 163 Posts	WB, Assuming your are running Windows, just right click the photo and select Set As Background in the box that appears. That should do it. R2B