Stubborn Area of Low Pressure

2014-12-13 14:06:00.000 – Caleb Meute, Weather Observer / Education Specialist

Ski resorts across much of northern New Hampshire made out quite well from the December 9 – December 10 Nor’easter with the White Mountains accumulating just under a foot of snow. For the rest of New Hampshire, things started out well for snow lovers, but a couple of factors came into play hindering totals. The main difference from what actually happened compared to the forecast models was the path that the low tracked. The center of low pressure ended up tracking closer inland which allowed warmer air to rush onshore turning the precipitation to rain. By looking at the observed storm total snowfall map, you can see a gradient where the temperatures were cold enough for snow, but too warm to the south.

On and off snow showers have persisted throughout the week on the summit of Mount Washington dropping an additional 6.2 inches, which puts the five day snowfall total to 19.6 inches. As the Nor’easter came through December 9-10^th, 13.4 inches of snow fell on the summit. Since then, the area of low pressure has stayed pretty much stationary and has continued to pump bands of snow into New England. This system is finally looking to move offshore, allowing high pressure to build in from the south. With the transitioning systems, a tight pressure gradient over the White Mountain Range has led to winds gusting up to hurricane force today. Overnight, high pressure will take over our weather pattern bringing fair conditions which will last into the next work week. It is looking like the next disturbance that will bring precipitation to the region will move through Tuesday night and into Wednesday.

Caleb Meute, Weather Observer / Education Specialist