Re: begging you please use complete sentences
Posted by JAC on 1/4/2010, 10:00 pm
OK - sure

So, the MIMIC-TPW shows available moisture that can be used to generate snow.  

Higher moisture content shows up as orange in the image while low moisture content is dark blue.

Sometimes I'll refer to this as theta-e which is a measure of the moisture content and heat in the air.

You can infer theta-e from the TPW (Total Precip Water) image by looking at it and also knowing the surface temperature.

Anyway, when a surface low forms it pulls up the higher theta-e air (orange pixels from the south).

That air then condenses and lifts as it hits the cold air to its north thus generating snow in winter, thunderstorms in  spring & summer, and hurricanes when conditions are right (low shear).

The current conditions showing a deep push of very low theta-e air down from the CONUS.  Thus there is no fuel for generating snow if a surface-low were to form.

You really need to see the orange pixels start to move north from the Carib & GOM in order for a snow event to occur when a surface-low forms.

I hope that helps.



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Rex Block slowly eroding - JAC, 1/4/2010, 11:33 am
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