Way too early but Weather.com and Weather Underground are predicting 8-12 inches for Central Iowa Thursday night into Saturday. Maybe some Mixed precipitation depending on the line it takes. Cowabunga!!!
Weather Thread - 1/16 to 1/18
- Thread starter CyState85
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Biggest factor in this storm will be the temperatures. Temps sound like they are trending warmer than currently predicted which would mean more rain/freezing rain. Not good for travel, but less snow. Four days away, but by Wednesday morning, should have a better idea. If it does hit, likely another storm that will be tough for local weather to predict amounts due to the temps.
We were suppose to get 4 to 6 last week and got 1/2 inch here. We were suppose to get 2-3 today and got 1/2 inch.
So yes everyone panic 4 days out. Call off everything before a drop of snow falls.
So yes everyone panic 4 days out. Call off everything before a drop of snow falls.
The only thing worse than missed predictions are the people who act like the weather predictions are just total garbage because they weren't perfect. And they weren't even that far off. They were predicting a line of snowfall running sw to ne, that did generally run along that path (forecasts shifted back and forth where that line would actually be)
Snow is hard to predict. Oftentimes they are right that a line of snow will occur, but it could move 50 miles one way or the other (with big differences as to the effect wherever that line is). You're never harmed by being prepared for the possibility.
I live south of Des Moines and the 3 systems that came through this weekend was as follows:
Friday official forecast: 5-7 inches. We got a little over 4.
Saturday official forecast: Should miss us, so no snow. We got no snow.
Sunday official forecast: 1-2 inches with 1 south of I80, up to 2 north of I80. We got a little over 1.
With snow being incredibly hard to predict when it comes to amounts, the last 3 days were pretty good for just south of Des Moines/Indianola area.
Friday official forecast: 5-7 inches. We got a little over 4.
Saturday official forecast: Should miss us, so no snow. We got no snow.
Sunday official forecast: 1-2 inches with 1 south of I80, up to 2 north of I80. We got a little over 1.
With snow being incredibly hard to predict when it comes to amounts, the last 3 days were pretty good for just south of Des Moines/Indianola area.
Great. This is turning out just like the Thanksgiving storm where I have to travel to MN and back to Ankeny on Thursday-Friday for , then turn around and bring the family up there for a family event on Saturday.
Gotta disagree a bit with this part here. There were a bunch of activities around central Iowa that were canceled on Saturday based on these forecasts, which could have easily ended up happening after all. Now while I am an aggressive advocate of safety above all else, it does get frustrating when trying to plan ahead.
Don’t forget the eggs. You need those too for weather emergency French Toast preparation.
For anyone that wants to complain ISU does have a meteorology department that would love your donation to help fund winter forecasting research.
I was a little frustrated with this myself. I'm not that bothered by Friday. Even if the forecast turned out to be less, the cancellations were understandable.
But in Ankeny they had called off all Saturday activities by Friday afternoon. And at some point Friday evening or early Saturday the forecast changed and said the Saturday wave would miss us entirely. So Saturday was a wasted day all around. (And now this next weekend may be in doubt too.)
I don't blame the forecasters too much. There's always uncertainty, conditions change, etc. But I just don't get what local decision-makers gain by cancelling everything so prematurely.
Talked to a guy who was involved in calling off a youth basketball tournament that was to occur on Saturday based on Friday's forecast. Said they lost out on about $20,000 for the local athletic booster club and they would have had it had they been able to make the call Saturday morning.
I'll take "Why Youth Sports Have Went to Hell" for $500, Alex.
I will note this includes concessions, spectators "tickets", entry fees, etc. I didn't get the sense the fee to be in the tournament was excessive by any means. There were easily 40-50 different teams in the tournament.
There's just alot of teams and alot of spectators, and all the money goes back to the local Athletic Boosters.
Alot of reasons to be down on youth sports, but I don't see this as one of them.
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My son was supposed to play in a tournament in Gilbert and they cancelled it on Friday night, I'm guessing he regrets that decision.
This time of year I can only imagine this was the case for dozens of schools.
I would question whether Saturday should have been cancelled even if the forecast for that day had held up. In central Iowa they were only forecasting 1-3" for Saturday afternoon. That's an inconvenience, but that's winter in the Midwest.
