New Years storm 2010 is a few days closer and more certain !!

And conditions should have already recovered somewhat thanks to what should be several inches of terrain enhanced snow on Monday and Monday night. The snow will be "enhanced" by both terrain and an arctic boundary which is expected to arrive on Monday night. A short burst of heavy snow is possible with the passage of the boundary and should help to produced a 6-12 snow total by first tracks time Tuesday. Tuesday will be cold and blustery but not unbearable. Temperatures will be in the single numbers and wind chills will be below zero but I have skied at MRG in worse, much worse in fact. Visibility should improve by Wednesday and a very cold, sub zero start will give way to comfortable temperatures in the afternoon. And thus the stage will be set for perhaps the best start to a year any of us MRGers could possibly imagine.


This storm, if it comes together will be nearly a perfect nexus of southern branch moisture and a vigorous surge of upper level energy from the northern or arctic branch of the jet. The result will be a massive eastern U.S. trough with cold air stretching to the Gulf Coast and beyond next week. It is possible in fact that snow is falling on the Florida panhandle at some point next week as well as some other semi tropical locations. The storm will look a bit innocuous as it brings its disorganized area of rain into Virginia on New Years Eve. Arctic jet energy will then arrive and bring its rocket fuel into the mix. The storm will intensify very quickly as a result and the intensity of precipitation will enhance as the storm rather slowly makes its way up the coast and positions itself in the Gulf of Maine late on New Years Day.

If everything goes as advertised, snow at MRG will begin during the day on New Years day and turn heavy during the evening. What makes this situation potentially special is the ability of our eastern trough to continue digging long after snow commences. This will allow the storm to pivot and attain whats referred to as a "negative tilt" greatly elongating the period in which it snows on the mountain. There are in fact indications that the strong surface storm will retrograde from the New England coast inland as it occludes. It could result in several days of snow and epic powder and a nice payback for another rainy Christmas. Its probably a little early to get too buried in accumulation predictions but the reader should get the idea. 2010 is expected to start snowy and there are no indications of warmth or rain through the first week of the month. Enjoy it for there will surely be some adverse times this year but the next 10 days should be spectacular.