Changes in Eight Hours

At 10pm last night (before heading out to do chores), the upcoming spring storm was predicted to only drop about 2 inches of snow and that we’d get a bunch of rain. We weren’t in any type of advisory either. Eight hours later when I was racing around trying to get out the door for the paying job, the weatherman changed the entire outlook for this storm. Amazing what eight hours will do!

 Now the upcoming storm is predicted to drop 4-8 inches of snow or possibly 3-7 inches of snow and we’ll be dealing with slush. I couldn’t figure out how to read the map correctly and I didn’t have time to stop and actually listen to what he was saying.  We are also in a winter weather advisory now too.

I doubt this storm will be as big a doozy as the last one but I’d sure like to know exactly what was coming our way so I could prepare a little. I didn’t have time last night to get anything ready for this upcoming storm. I had drill team practice and didn’t get home until 10pm. Lucky for me, there was no wind to fight. Unfortunately this morning there was wind.

I know we need the moisture but I’d prefer it to come in warm spring rain rather than another snowstorm. For the amount of snow we would need to get us out of the drought, we’d be buried in snow until July!

From the latest update on the storm:

A complex storm system will give us plenty of forecasting challenges the next 24 to 48 hours.  First, snow has accumulated in much of western SD with over 6” around Rapid City and points south and west.  The first wave of snow extended overnight north to Aberdeen where an inch or two has been reported as of 7am.

The main challenges today will be watching a band of t-storms with rain and sleet in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.  Rain mixed with sleet will be possible in Sioux Falls today.  Heavy rain is possible in northwest Iowa  (over .50”).   The snow and precipitation will expand to the west and north of Sioux Falls through the afternoon. 

There may be a lull in the activity late this evening before another round of snow develops tonight and tomorrow across eastern KELOLAND.  Sioux Falls and much of the southeast will be under a winter weather advisory and could get more than 6” of sloppy wet snow with this storm.  Even northeast KELOLAND will have a chance of 6” of snow tonight, and that’s why a winter storm watch is in effect.

Part of the problem with snow forecasting with this storm will be the t-storm activity in the warm sector of the storm across Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma.  Since the nature of those storms will be volatile, so will the moisture return to KELOLAND.  Also, the snow that falls will be very heavy and wet, difficult to measure, and compacting during the day.  The other issue is the strong wind.  Northwest winds will gust over 40mph tomorrow in much of eastern and southeastern SD, NW IA, and SW MN. 

Greeeeaaaaat. Six inches of snow. At least most of the snow from last week’s storm is gone. The only telltale sign that we had a massive storm last week are the tree limbs lying around. At least this time I’m keeping an eye to the sky. And as I did this morning, the skies looked very dark to the south with the threat of the storm headed our way.  The neighbor’s mare and filly are tucked away in the barn. I want to keep them safe and warm in the barn. Most of the “delicate flowers” are snug in their blankets.  If we are going to get a lot of rain, I’ll be running most into stalls tonight to dry off. It’s going to be an exhausting next 48 hours.