More ice on the way for tonight.

If you are having a New Year's Eve party to ring in the new year, make some sleep-over plans. It's best not to drive after midnight. And please don't drink and drive in the icy weather. That is a terrible idea. 





.SYNOPSIS...
Issued at 345 AM EST Thu Dec 31 2020

Surface high pressure will lift northeast across central Indiana
today and provide a brief respite in the late year precipitation.
Things will change in a big way overnight tonight though as a strong
storm system lifts northeast out of Mexico. This system is expected
to result in several hours of freezing rain early New Year`s Day
before strong southerly flow warms things way up which will result
in a transition to moderate to locally heavy rain New Year`s day.

Aside from a small chance of rain and snow Saturday night associated
with another system, high pressure will result in dry weather with
slightly above normal temperatures through the middle of next week.

&&

.NEAR TERM /Today/...

Issued at 345 AM EST Thu Dec 31 2020

Today will see a break in the precipitation as surface high pressure
lifts northeast over central Indiana. However, dew points in the
lower 20s will help set the stage for icing tonight into New Year`s
Day. Dry punch should allow breaks in the clouds late morning and
afternoon. However, northeast and east winds will not allow the
temperature to recover too much with near normal highs in the middle
and upper 30s.

&&

.SHORT TERM /Tonight through Saturday night/...

Issued at 345 AM EST Thu Dec 31 2020

The year 2020 like it does not want to go down easy as it wants to
curse the start of 2021 with a glaze of ice as a strong upper
Mexican system will lift northeast into eastern Texas this evening
and into eastern Oklahoma overnight and into the Ozarks on New
Year`s Day before shearing out over the Great Lakes Saturday early.
Meanwhile, surface reflection lifts northeast across central Indiana
21z New Year`s Day to 03z Saturday.

Strong isentropic lift returns once again after 03z tonight from
southwest to northeast. BUFKIT soundings showing a classic freezing
rain sounding for several hours after the atmosphere saturates again
from top to bottom overnight into New Year`s Day morning. East and
northeast winds around the retreating surface high will keep the
near surface below freezing. The exception will be far southwestern
counties, where the temperatures may remain near, at or slightly
above freezing. Meanwhile, strong warm advection, deep moisture,
increasing low level jet and coupled 120 knot plus northern Great
Lakes and Lower Mississippi Valley jet streaks, will supply strong
forcing and the moisture needed to moderate precipitation overnight
and into New Year`s day. 30 millibar or less condensation pressure
deficits on the 300K surface, suggesting a saturated column, will
move from southwest to northeast across the forecast area. This all
suggests rain, possibly freezing, will move into Knox county around
06z. As the precipitation shield heads further northeast, most or
all of the precipitation will be freezing rain with a possible brief
mix with sleet or snow at the onset from evaporative cooling in
lowest levels prior to complete saturation of the column. This
precip shield should reach the metro area after 09z and far northern
counties around 12z.

Soundings and surface temperatures suggest most areas will see
around 4 hours of freezing rain, which will be moderate much of the
time, perhaps even locally heavy. This is an slightly gusty winds,
support ice accumulation amounts from around 0.05 inches in
southwestern sections to around 0.20 inches across northern
sections. After coordinating with local offices, decided to go with
a Winter Weather Advisory for freezing rain from 08z-16z New Year`s
Day from Vermillion county southwest to Decatur county and north.

The temperature will then warm above freezing from around 12z-16z
from southwest to northeast, so will likely be able to clear
counties on an hourly or so basis from southwest to northeast.

After that, the main focus will be rain. Models suggest a widespread
inch is possible before things wind down from southwest to northeast
as the systems shears into the Great Lakes. The strong forcing
mentioned early and low level jet increasing to 50 knots during the
afternoon, certainly supports locally heavy rain and possibly minor
low lying flooding.

It now looks like dry weather Saturday will be brief as the next
southern system lifts northeast across the area and becomes
negatively sheared as it does so. Deepening moisture and sounding
profile support a shot of rain and snow Saturday night with minor
snow accumulation possible.

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