The Fun Begins

It seems likely that the totals I posted this morning could be a bit off especially as the trends today have continued to push north.  Since I posted all the other predictions based off models I will not change my totals.  If I'm way off so be it.

The fun I reference in the title is in relation to the storm cut off.  Where will it setup?  Where is the dividing line between very little and very lot?  And yes I know that's not proper English, but I've been up at 5 every morning and probably will again tomorrow.  Now it's my turn to kick back and enjoy.

Fun fact number one.  I mentioned in a previous post the dry air and my concerns.  I just got back from running here in Bethlehem.  The air is dry and numbing.  No big surprise there.  But according to my news feed and other reports it started snowing in parts of Berks County at 5:30.  It's 8:30 now as I sit near my large living room window and there has not been a single flake of snow yet.

So I did what any amateur meteorologist would do and checked the local observations.

Look at Reading and see all the variables that stand out.  SNOW.  22 degrees (snow cooled temperature).  83% humidity as the atmosphere starts to fill with liquid.  Visibility approaching zero.

Now for the other side of the coin.

Humidity at 35% a clear sign the air is still very dry even if snow is falling at higher altitudes.  5 degrees warmer in temperature because of the lack of moisture.  Visibility is a perfect 10 miles.

The distance between the Reading and Allentown airports where this information comes from is 33 miles if you made a straight line northeast.  I have a feeling you will be able to draw a lot of 33 mile lines in various directions and get a lot of different results by the time this one is over.

As we approach 9:00 I thought maybe I'd end up looking out the window and seeing the snow whip around as I end this post.  Still nothing.  Not only that but I can look west and still clearly see the lights in Allentown.

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Quick Note.  With the slight northern shift and heavy band of snow pushing in from the east, models are now starting to favor the Lehigh Valley for more snow than areas to the south and west because of their eastern position.  For the first time the GFS shows higher totals in Allentown than Reading.