a view northward from my balcony
the overworked weathergeek rain gauge, showing about 4" of rain and partially melted/melting snow
*Update @ 12:20pm... The sky is definitely attempting to brighten now, though there are still snow showers (briefly heavy) occurring. I have about 5" here just below the mountaineering center.
*Update @ 11:18am... Classically beautiful heavy snow continues to fall up here, and from what I'm hearing, further downhill as well. Just got a report of about 2" of accumulation in the main market, and my total is now going above 3" (not including the earlier slushy stuff). Satellite pics show a nearly stationary band of convective-looking clouds from near Una, northward into the Dhauladhars. If it stays on top of us for much longer, we're going to end up with some very impressive snowfall totals. Current temp -- 34.3F (1.3C).
*Update @ 10:25am... Snowing heavily, with big, thick flakes. There are certainly no signs that this is going to be over very soon. If anything, the snow has been more steady than ever during the past hour plus. Ever since early this morning the newest batches of computer model data have been showing precipitation diminishing rapidly, but there has been no evidence of that. In fact, from the satellite vantage point, it seems we are still caught up in a favorable part of this system's circulation to continue getting significant snow. I would estimate about 2" of fresh snowfall up here just in the last hour and a half, in addition to the layer of icy slush left over from before. The temp remains steady -- 34.7F (1.5C).
Kind of miraculous that the power came back (a couple of hours ago), at least in my part of town.
*Update @ 9:24am... Visibility is only a few meters in dense, thick, heavy snow -- it looks eerily like Minnesota up here at the moment. Current temp: 34.5F (1.4C).
*Update @ 8:54am... Light snow falling, with occasional more moderate bursts during the past half hour. There are also some patches of fog being drawn upslope, as we continue to have a southeasterly moisture feed in the lower levels. Although we should be getting toward the back side of this whole large-scale system by this afternoon, we probably won't be seeing much improvement. The temp here at my spot continues to hold very close to 35F (1.7C).
*Update @ 7:59am... I've just ventured onto the roof to get a better perspective around the area, and it looks like the snow line cuts right through McLeod, with very little accumulation down toward the middle of town (at least that I can see). My temp here is holding fairly steady -- now 34.7F (1.5C) -- with both light drizzle and some snowflakes.
*Update @ 7:28am... It's now snowing moderately here in the upper part of town, with some fresh accumulations starting to happen. Satellite pics and data show the axis of our upper-level trough of low pressure over eastern Pakistan, slowing edging toward the east. All of the deep moisture is in the northeastern quadrant of that low pressure trough -- basically right on top of Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, and Uttarakhand. Simultaneously, the most frigid temperatures in the mid- and upper-levels are now sagging southeastward into Himachal... and that's why the snow line has dropped significantly since just before dawn.
Oh yeah... how could I fail to mention the lack of light/power? It's been out since shortly after midnight in my neighborhood.
*Update @ 7:03am... Just cleared the heavy slush so I could get to my rain gauge. It shows almost exactly 3" (7.6cm) of rain and melted snow since this all began late Thursday night. Actually, there is some partially melted snow in the upper part of the rain gauge, so I can't really get an accurate measurement until that eventually melts. But anyway -- this is far over and above even the most ominous-looking computer model projections we were discussing before this storm materialized.
My current temp has dipped to 34.3F (1.3C), and it is snowing lightly.
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There is so much happening and so much to talk about, I'm going to post bite-sized updates this morning, with the latest info at the top.
It's been another night of fitful sleep, as I was waking up and checking the temperature, then looking out the window almost every hour. My location in the upper part of town has remained right on the rain/snow line all night -- with the temperature fluctuating between 35-37F (1.5-3C). The trees were loaded up with snow at 10:30pm, but then most of it melted and/or slid off the branches during periods when the snow turned back to rain. It is snowing again at the moment, and the temp is 34.9F (1.6C). I have a couple of inches of slushy snow on my terrace, but not really any more than was there late last night, due to the alternating rain and snow. Will check the rain gauge and the latest weather charts then update shortly...
