Sunday, April 14, 2013

April 14-15 Snowstorm Live Blog

I will try to update this as often as possible tonight until I go to sleep.

11:30am - Well I see I didn't miss much while I was sleeping. Snowstorm total of about 4" here in Grand Forks. Less than impressive, that's for sure. As usual, we were the exception to the norm. Here is a select list of snow totals from this storm:
  • Bismarck (Burleigh Co.), ND - 23.5"
  • LaMoure (Edgeley Co.), ND - 20.0"
  • 4NW Hazelton (Emmons Co.), ND - 18.7"
  • Selfridge (Sioux Co.), ND - 18.0"
  • Glen Ullin (Morton Co.), ND - 18"
  • Bismarck NWS (Burleigh Co.), ND - 17.7"
  • Jamestown (Stutsman Co.), ND - 17.0"
  • 3SW Dickinson (Stark Co.) - 16.0"
  • Garrison (McLean Co.), ND - 14.0"
  • Harvey (Wells Co.), ND - 12.0"
  • Minot (Ward Co.), ND - 11.0"
  • Fargo (Cass Co.), ND - 10.8"
  • Park River (Walsh Co.), MN - 10.0"
  • McLeod (Ransom Co.), ND - 9.8"
  • Larimore (Grand Forks Co.), ND - 9.0"
  • Lidgerwood (Richland Co.), ND - 9.0"
  • Moorhead (Clay Co.), MN - 8.8"
  • Carrington (Foster, Co.), ND - 8.0"
  • Michigan (Nelson Co.), ND - 8.0"
  • 6NE Hatton (Grand Forks Co.), ND - 7.0"
  • Wahpeton (Richland Co.), ND - 7.0"
  • East Grand Forks (Polk Co.), MN - 5.5"
  • Fergus Falls (Otter Tail Co.), MN - 4.5"
  • Grand Forks NWS (Grand Forks Co.), ND - 3.6"
  • Bemidji (Beltrami Co.), MN - 2.5"
  • Pembina (Pembina Co.), ND - 2.5"

3:12am - 3 1/4" outside. Last measurement of the night....bedtime.

12:55am - About 2" of snow accumulation now. More snow pellets than snow flakes falling now. If my 6.5" prediction comes true, I guess it will be a slow accumulation through the night. I will try to take one more measurement at 3am.

10:10pm - 1" of accumulation out there. Snow intensity has decreased to light snow. Roads are slushy and snow is melting from the trees with a temperature of 33°F. Going to be hard to accumulate when there isn't a period of heavy snow.

9:17pm - Heavy snow here in Grand Forks the past 30-40 minutes. Globs of wet snow fell on my car during my short drive home from work. This is the closest to a Mid-Atlantic snowfall that I've seen here. I would estimate the snow to liquid ratio is at best 10:1, more likely 9:1 though. Estimated snowfall of 0.5"

8:13pm - Dusting of snow on the rooftops and vegetation. Pavements are taking a while to cool down still and remain wet, but the edges and cracks of the parking lot are starting to see a thin dusting of accumulation.

6:30pm - All snow here now on the north end of Grand Forks. Later than I expected yesterday, that's for sure. Future updates will generally be accumulation updates.

6:25pm - In-situ wet bulbing...GFK was 38/28 when DZ began, now at 34/30 with -RASN.

6:08pm - Had an occasional snowflake mixing in earlier, now a rain/snow mix. It won't be long now before it's all snow.

6:04pm - Light rain here on the north side of town for the past half hour, after about a half hour of drizzle. I hear it's snowing on the south side of town though. I guess the high of 39 and extremely slow northward progression through the Red River Valley is playing a major role. Based on radar echo, rain should change to snow any minute now.

Friday, April 05, 2013

March 2013 Climate Summary

Notes:

  • Temperature data from the airport (GFK) and precipitation data from the University. 
  • ##R denotes record maximum
  • ##R denotes record minimum

Grand Forks, ND (GFK)

Day High Low Dep. Precip. Snow Depth
1 25 4 -3 0.00” 0.0” 4”
2 24 3 -4 Trace Trace 4”
3 31 13 +4 Trace 0.1” 4”
4 27 24 +7 0.27” 7.0” 6”
5 25 18 +3 0.03” 0.5” 10”
6 25 1 -7 Trace 0.1" 10"
7 27 -5 -9 0.00" 0.0" 10"
8 32 18 +4 0.00" 0.0" 10"
9 29 22 +5 Trace Trace 9"
10 23 -1 -11 Trace Trace 9"
11 22 1 -10 Trace Trace 9"
12 22 0 -12 0.01" 0.2" 9"
13 21 -11 -18 0.09" 2.2" 9"
14 28 6 -7 0.01" 0.3" 11"
15 20 -1 -14 0.14" 4.2" 10"
16 10 -18R -29 0.00" 0.0" 13"
17 20 -23R -27 0.11" 3.2" 12"
18 23 3 -13 0.06" 1.4" 14"
19 15 -7 -23 0.00" 0.0" 14"
20 15 -7 -23 0.00" 0.0" 14"
21 16 -13R -26 0.00" 0.0" 12"
22 19 -10 -23 0.00" 0.0" 12"
23 26 5 -13 0.00" 0.0" 11"
24 25 19 -7 Trace Trace 11"
25 26 5 -14 Trace Trace 11"
26 28 -2 -17 0.00" 0.0" 11"
27 30 -3 -17 0.00" 0.0" 11"
28 37 6 -10 0.00" 0.0" 11"
29 31 21 -6 Trace 0.0" 10"
30 39 26 0 Trace Trace 9"
31 32 15 -9 Trace Trace 7"







March 2013 24.9 3.5 -11.0R 0.72” 19.2” Avg. 9.9"

Average High: 24.9°F [Departure from Normal: -9.3°F]
Average Low: 3.5°F [Departure from Normal: -12.6°F]
Mean Temperature: 14.2°FR [Departure From Normal: -11.0°F]
Total Precipitation: 0.72" [Departure from Normal: -0.30"; 71% of normal]
Total Snowfall: 19.2" [Departure from Normal: +12.8"; 300% of normal]
Seasonal Snowfall: 52.8" [Departure from Normal: +10.0"; 123% of normal]

Monday, April 01, 2013

2013 MLB Predictions

One of the greatest days of the year has arrived once again - OPENING DAY! Not every year, but most years since high school I have made baseball predictions at the beginning of the season. More often than not, they stink - but it's still fun to do. This year, I attempted to incorporate a bit more research than usual, so who knows if these are better or worse than usual, but here goes nothing:

             AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
TEAM RECORD GB
Tampa Bay Rays 91-71 - -
Baltimore Orioles 85-77 -6
Toronto Blue Jays 84-78 -7
New York Yankees 82-80 -9
Boston Red Sox 75-87 -16



             AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
TEAM RECORD GB
Detroit Tigers 93-69 - -
Kansas City Royals 82-80 -11
Cleveland Indians 79-83 -14
Chicago White Sox 76-86 -17
Minnesota Twins 67-95 -26



             AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
TEAM RECORD GB
Oakland Athletics 92-70 - -
Los Angeles Angels 91-71 -1
Texas Rangers 84-78 -8
Seattle Mariners 75-87 -17
Houston Astros 58-104 -34



            AMERICAN LEAGUE WILDCARD
TEAM RECORD GB
Los Angeles Angels 91-71 - -
Baltimore Orioles 85-77 - -
Toronto Blue Jays 84-78 -1
Texas Rangers 84-78 -1
Kansas City Royals 82-80 -3
New York Yankees 82-80 -3
Cleveland Indians 79-83 -12
Chicago White Sox 76-86 -15



            NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
TEAM RECORD GB
Washington Nationals 102-60 - -
Philadelphia Phillies 90-72 -12
Atlanta Braves 88-74 -14
New York Mets 71-91 -31
Miami Marlins 60-102 -42



             NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
TEAM RECORD GB
Cincinnati Reds 87-75 - -
St. Louis Cardinals 86-76 -1
Milwaukee Brewers 84-78 -3
Pittsburgh Pirates 81-81 -6
Chicago Cubs 69-93 -18



             NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
TEAM RECORD GB
San Francisco Giants 90-72 - -
Los Angeles Dodgers 89-73 -1
Arizona Diamondbacks 85-77 -5
San Diego Padres 74-88 -16
Colorado Rockies 59-103 -31



             NATIONAL LEAGUE WILDCARD
TEAM RECORD GB
Philadelphia Phillies 90-72 - -
Los Angeles Dodgers 89-73 - -
Atlanta Braves 88-74 -1
St. Louis Cardinals 86-76 -3
Arizona Diamondbacks 85-77 -4
Milwaukee Brewers 84-78 -5
Pittsburgh Pirates 81-81 -8
San Diego Padres 74-88 -15

 -------------

AL WILDCARD
4-Los Angeles Angels over Baltimore Orioles

NL WILDCARD
5-Los Angeles Dodgers over Philadelphia Phillies

ALDS
1-Detroit Tigers over 4-Los Angeles Angels
3-Tampa Bay Rays over 2-Oakland Athletics

NLDS
1-Washington Nationals over 5-Los Angeles Dodgers
2-San Francisco Giants over 3-Cincinnati Reds

ALCS
1-Detroit Tigers over 3-Tampa Bay Rays

NLCS
1-Washington Nationals over 2-San Francisco Giants

WORLD SERIES
Washington Nationals over Detroit Tigers

------------- 

MVP
AL: Miguel Cabrera (3B - Detroit Tigers)
NL: Joey Votto (1B - Cincinnati Reds)

CY YOUNG
AL: Justin Verlander (SP - Detroit Tigers)
NL: Clayton Kershaw (SP - Los Angeles Dodgers)

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
AL: Wil Myers (OF - Tampa Bay Rays)
NL: Adam Eaton (OF - Arizona Diamondbacks)

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR
AL: Brian Roberts (2B - Baltimore Orioles)
NL: Ryan Howard (1B - Philadelphia Phillies)

MANAGER OF THE YEAR
AL: Buck Showalter (Baltimore Orioles)
NL: Davey Johnson (Washington Nationals)