Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Leffler, Robert J.

Titel

Record Snows in the Face of Ongoing Warming: Analyzing a Major Late-Season Snowstorm

Ist Teil von

• Weatherwise, 2024-03, Vol.77 (2), p.34-41

Ort / Verlag

Washington: Routledge

Erscheinungsjahr

2024

Quelle

Alma/SFX Local Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• An unusual and well-forecast major snow event occurred in the central Allegheny Mountains in May 2023, contradicting global warming trends. The storm dropped 20 inches of snow in Canaan Valley, West VA, during a time when summer is expected. This event highlights the building evidence that extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity alongside global warming. Weather watchers should analyze how forecasters handle such unusual events. Canaan Valley has a cold, humid climate, resembling environments found in Canada and AK. The valley's high elevation results in temperatures that are typically cooler than surrounding lowlands, allowing for more snowfall. The storm was accurately forecasted by the NWS Global Forecast System, with upslope precipitation and steep lapse rates supporting snowfall above 3500 feet. The storm set several preliminary snowfall records in West VA, with extremely tight snowfall-to-elevation gradients observed. Further analysis is needed to determine the historical significance of the liquid precipitation equivalent recorded during this storm.