Winter Storm Watch

It doesn't make for a very good start to your day when, at 5 AM, you see the first of many updated watches. A huge low pressure system from the west, Hurricane Wilma, and Tropical Depression Alpha will all meet and make a huge nor'easter on Tuesday and Wednesday (and Thursday and Friday?) Is this the perfect storm all over again? It's the right time of year....the Halloween Nor'easter, just a bit earlier this year.

Oh! Before we archive the snow watch, here is the NOAA headline tonight:

...Hurricane WILMA Updates...
Wilma has regained a little strength over the Atlantic as it races northeastward away from Florida. Details...
...Early Season Winter Storm in the Northeast....
A strong low pressure system continues to develop off the Carolina coast and may become a major early season winter storm. This storm has the potential to bring heavy wet snow to parts of New York and Pennsylvania. The storm will produce also produce heavy rains...coastal flooding...and damaging winds across New England. Check your local Weather Forecast Office website for Details...

And that last "Details" link? This is what it shows (I am the top Vermont county in the east that has a Winter Storm Watch):

Click on the image to see it full size.

Orleans (Vermont)

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT
327 PM EDT MON OCT 24 2005
...HEAVY SNOWFALL WILL IMPACT THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE NORTH
COUNTRY TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO WEDNESDAY...
.STRONG LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO DEVELOP OFF THE CAPE HATTERAS
COAST THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL MOVE NORTHEAST TOWARD CAPE COD BY
TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THIS WILL SPREAD ABUNDANT MOISTURE INTO OUR
REGION FROM EARLY TUESDAY MORNING INTO WEDNESDAY. LIGHT RAIN WILL
DEVELOP ACROSS SOUTHERN VERMONT BY EARLY TUESDAY MORNING AND
SPREAD INTO THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY AND NORTHERN NEW YORK BY MID
MORNING.
HOWEVER...THE AIR MASS WILL BECOME COLD ENOUGH TO CHANGE THE RAIN
QUICKLY OVER TO ALL SNOW ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE
ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS BY EARLY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE SNOW WILL BECOME HEAVY
AT TIMES ABOVE 1000 FEET BY LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON.
FOR THE GREEN MOUNTAINS OF CENTRAL AND NORTHERN VERMONT THE AIR
MASS WILL BECOME COLD ENOUGH FOR ALL SNOW BY LATE TUESDAY
AFTERNOON AND COULD BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES DURING THE EVENING
HOURS.
THIS HEAVY WET SNOW...COMBINED WITH NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS OF
20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN WILL
CAUSE DOWNED TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES.
THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY AND OTHER LOWER ELEVATION LOCATIONS WILL SEE
A CHANGE OVER TO ALL SNOW OVERNIGHT ON TUESDAY WITH SOME LIGHT
SNOW ACCUMULATION POSSIBLE BY EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING.
VTZ003-006-008-016>019-250900-
/X.EXT.KBTV.WS.A.0001.051025T2000Z-051026T1600Z/
ORLEANS-LAMOILLE-WASHINGTON-EASTERN FRANKLIN-EASTERN CHITTENDEN-
EASTERN ADDISON-EASTERN RUTLAND-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...NEWPORT...JOHNSON...STOWE...
MONTPELIER...ENOSBURG FALLS...RICHFORD...UNDERHILL...BRISTOL...
RIPTON...EAST WALLINGFORD...KILLINGTON
327 PM EDT MON OCT 24 2005
...WINTER STORM WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING...
A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL CHANGE TO ALL SNOW IN THE HIGHER
ELEVATIONS BY LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
VERMONT. 6 OR MORE INCHES OF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE BY WEDNESDAY
MORNING ACROSS THE GREEN MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
VERMONT.
REMEMBER...A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
THE DEVELOPMENT OF HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER.
PERSONS ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHERN VERMONT...SHOULD TAKE THE
NECESSARY ACTION AND PREPARE FOR THIS UPCOMING WINTER WEATHER
EVENT. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR ANY MEDIA OUTLET...THAT
PROVIDES YOU WITH THE LATEST PRODUCTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE...WHICH ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO KEEP YOU INFORMED
DURING SUCH HAZARDOUS WEATHER EVENTS.
$$
TABER

Issuing Weather Forecast Office Homepage

Technorati tags: Vermont snow+storm
_/\_/\_