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The Next Storm/Next Snow Forecast Discussion from the Cherrywood Observatory – November 8, 2017

This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Forecast Discussion:

As this is being written, Tuesday later at night, a short wave is creating lift and a bit more snow for Colorado. The bonus graphic (Figure 6) shows that the morning front and first short wave gave our town 3-4" of snow, a bit more than I forecasted.  Figure 1 is the surface analysis from Tuesday PM - and the front is draped over the southwestern reaches of the state.  Snow is streaming off the front to the east.

The 'short wave' mentioned above is visible in Figure 2 as the red line leaning over our state.  When it passes over, the precipitation chances will end before morning breaks on Wednesday. (But fog may break out too).  Figure 3 is the water vapor image (long time, no see) and that short wave is creating the visible patch of uplifted moist air circled in green.

For midday Wednesday, Figure 4 shows that the front is long gone to the south and southeast into New Mexico and Texas leaving us high and dry (after that locally thick morning fog burns off).

Figure 1: Surface analysis map from Tuesday PM.

Figure 2: 500mb upper air analysis map from Tuesday PM.

Figure 3: Water Vapor satellite image from Tuesday PM (whites and purples are moist, browns, reds, and oranges are dry). The green circle is an area of lift Tuesday PM.

Figure 4: The NCEP forecast surface analysis map for Wednesday midday.

In the longer range forecast:

Ridging in the upper air pattern returns (Figure 5), and we get quiet and quite seasonal as far as temperatures go (just 5 degrees or so below normal). Right now, there is no significant snow or rain in the 10 day forecast.

Figure 5: the GFS forecast upper air 500mb analysis map for Thursday PM (troughs in red, ridge in blue).

Figure 6: The new snowfall from 7am MT Tuesday for Boulder county from CoCoRaHS.

Current Weather

Mostly cloudy

Mostly cloudy

41°F

UV Index
0 Low
Pressure
30.16 Rising
Visibility
8 miles
Dewpoint
31 °F
Humidity
68%
Wind
ENE 4.3 mph
Gust
8.2 mph
Wind Chill
38 °F

Hourly Forecast

Tomorrow
12 AM
41°F
Intermittent clouds
Tomorrow
1 AM
40°F
Partly cloudy
Tomorrow
2 AM
39°F
Partly cloudy w/ showers
Tomorrow
3 AM
39°F
Partly cloudy w/ showers
Tomorrow
4 AM
38°F
Partly cloudy
Tomorrow
5 AM
38°F
Partly cloudy
Tomorrow
6 AM
37°F
Partly sunny
Tomorrow
7 AM
39°F
Partly sunny
Tomorrow
8 AM
43°F
Partly sunny
Tomorrow
9 AM
46°F
Partly sunny
Tomorrow
10 AM
50°F
Partly sunny
Tomorrow
11 AM
53°F
Partly sunny

7 Day Forecast

Mostly cloudy w/ showers

Friday

76 °F

Some sun, then increasing clouds, becoming breezy this afternoon with a shower in spots late in the afternoon


Partly cloudy w/ showers

Friday Night

37 °F

Partly cloudy with a couple of showers


Partly sunny

Saturday

66 °F

Not as warm with sun and some clouds


Mostly clear

Saturday Night

39 °F

Clear to partly cloudy


Mostly cloudy

Sunday

76 °F

Mostly cloudy and warmer; breezy in the afternoon


Mostly cloudy

Sunday Night

51 °F

Rather cloudy; windy late


Windy

Monday

60 °F

Winds gusting past 40 mph; cloudy and cooler


Intermittent clouds

Monday Night

43 °F

Breezy in the evening; otherwise, partly cloudy


Intermittent clouds

Tuesday

62 °F

Times of clouds and sun; windy in the afternoon


Intermittent clouds

Tuesday Night

36 °F

Clearing


Sunrise and Sunset

Sunrise
5:57 AM
Sunset
7:58 PM

Based on AccuWeather data