A Case Study of Anomalous Snowfall with an Alberta Clipper

Rochette, Scott M.; Market, Patrick S.; Gravelle, Chad M.; Niziol, Thomas A.

doi:10.1155/2017/8406379

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 35 publications

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“…Since these storms form at northern latitudes inland from major moisture sources, they are often associated with anomalously cold, yet dry conditions (Hutchinson, 1995;Thomas and Martin, 2007). Snowfall directly generated from the central is often light to moderate in magnitude with a high snow-to-liquid ratio (Rochette et al, 2017). Non-cyclonic storms are associated with an upper-level disturbance, cold air advection, or quasistationary fronts, but no central low pressure near the study area.…”

Section: Snowfall Contributions From Non-lake-effect Snowmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Seasonal Snowfall Contributions of Different Snowstorm Types in Central New York State

Hartnett

2021

Front. Water

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Located at the eastern extent of the Great Lakes snowbelt, Central New York averages some of the highest annual snowfall totals east of the Rocky Mountains. This is in large part due to the variety of snowstorms that affect the region including lake-effect storms, coastal storms, and overrunning storms. Previous estimates suggest that lake-effect snowstorms account for approximately half of the seasonal snow in the Great Lakes basin, but ignore the spatial variability that exists within the region. Therefore, this study examines the seasonal snowfall contributions of the different snowstorm types to affect Central New York. Results suggest that although lake-effect snowstorms are the dominant snowstorm type in the region, their seasonal snowfall contributions vary between 13 and 48%. Although lake-effect snowstorms produce more snow during the peak and mid-seasons, their relative contribution is greatest during the early and mid-winter seasons. Generally, higher contributions occur near the Tug Hill Plateau, with lower contributions in southern Central New York. Instead, snowfall in southern Central New York is mostly dominated by Nor'easters (16–35%), with lesser contributions from Rocky lows (14–29%). Overrunning storms that originate in Canada (e.g., Alberta clippers) and non-cyclonic storms contribute the least to seasonal snowfall totals across Central New York; however, they are often the catalyst for lake-effect snowstorms in the region, as they advect continental polar air masses that destabilize across the lake. Understanding the actual snowfall contribution from different snowstorm types is needed for future climate predictions. Since the potential trajectory of future snowfall varies according to the type of storm, climate models must accurately predict the type of storm that is producing the snow.

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Section: Snowfall Contributions From Non-lake-effect Snowmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Seasonal Snowfall Contributions of Different Snowstorm Types in Central New York State

Hartnett

2021

Front. Water

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A Conceptual Synoptic Model Approach to the Development of a Precipitation Climatology as Applied to Montreal, Quebec

Melamed-Turkish¹,

Milrad

Gyakum

et al. 2022

Weather and Forecasting

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This study documents the frequency and intensity of precipitation at Montreal, Canada from 1979–2018 as it relates to four quadrants of a 500-hPa wave, identified by the position of troughs, ridges, and inflection points. These quadrants provide a simplified conceptualization of the contributions from the temperature and vorticity advection forcing terms in the quasigeostrophic (QG) omega equation. Precipitation is found to be significantly more intense in every season except summer in the quadrant immediately upstream of the 500-hPa ridge, where differential cyclonic vorticity advection (DCVA) and a local maximum in horizontal warm-air advection (WAA) tend to promote unambiguous QG ascent. In summer, the average precipitation is still most intense in the DCVA-WAA quadrant, but not significantly more than in the quadrant immediately downstream of the 500-hPa trough, where DCVA and a local maximum in horizontal cold-air advection (CAA) are expected to compete, resulting in ambiguous QG vertical motion. Precipitation in the DCVA-CAA quadrant is more intense in every season than in the expected differential anticyclonic vorticity advection (DAVA) quadrants, with significantly higher intensities in spring and fall. Furthermore, the DCVA quadrants exhibit significantly stronger ascent compared to the DAVA quadrants and the DCVA-WAA quadrant features significantly warmer 850-hPa equivalent potential temperatures compared to the three other quadrants in every season. Odds ratios indicate a statistically significant association between heavy precipitation episodes and the DCVA-WAA quadrant. Heavy precipitation episodes in the DCVA-CAA quadrant are associated with a negatively tilted 500-hPa geopotential height pattern in winter and fall.

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A Case Study of Anomalous Snowfall with an Alberta Clipper

Cited by 2 publications

References 35 publications

The Seasonal Snowfall Contributions of Different Snowstorm Types in Central New York State

The Seasonal Snowfall Contributions of Different Snowstorm Types in Central New York State

A Conceptual Synoptic Model Approach to the Development of a Precipitation Climatology as Applied to Montreal, Quebec

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