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Thundersnow!

Written by Luke Lysen

 

Today in Seattle (Kirkland actually) we had a weather phenomenon that I had
never heard of before, Thundersnow.

 

It is a very cool anomaly.  It kind of makes you rethink thunderstorms and
what causes them.  Typically we think of hot and humid weather, not cold snowy
weather.

 

There was thunder and lightning this morning but instead of rain there was
snow!

 

It is pretty rare for the Seattle area to get thunderstorms, and if they do
happen it is normally in the summer as is normal for most places.  It's
also pretty rare for Seattle to get snow. It tries to snow a couple times a
year and even then it is usually a dusting that melts almost immediately.

 

In Seattle when it snows the world shuts down. Yesterday schools were closed
in the area because of the possibility of snow (it actually did not
snow in Seattle yesterday).

 

Here is a good link to the definition of Thundersnow:
http://www.theweatherprediction.com/habyhints/334/

 

 

Luke Lysen

President, The Flight Academy

 www.theflightacademy.com  


Posted 18 Dec 2008 18:17 by John Fiscus

Comments

Scott Dennstaedt wrote re: Thundersnow!
on 19 Dec 2008 12:28

Luke,

Probably a pretty rare event in Seattle.  How about thundersnow in Baton Rouge, LA on December 11th?  

KBTR 111153Z COR 27008KT 1/2SM TSSN FG OVC003CB 01/M01 A2982 RMK AO2 TSB53 SLP097 OCNL LTGIC VC SW TS VC SW MOV E

Living in the mid-Atlantic for many years, thundersnow has occurred during several blizzards in MD to include 79 and 83.  And we had a strong squall line go through in April many years ago that brought down some heavy, wet snow, gusty winds and lightning.  It is also a somewhat frequent occurrance during low topped thunderstorm events downwind of the Great Lakes.   I was actually out at the Aviation Weather Center visiting when a pilot reported hearing thunder (while on the surface) in heavy snow squalls in the NJ/PA area.  This caused the forecaster at the AWC to amend her forecast to include the possibility of thunderstorms.  

Jerrold Seckler wrote re: Thundersnow!
on 19 Dec 2008 13:16

We get thundersnow here at least 1-2 times/year.

This AM it was snowing like crazy as I was going to work and all of a sudden the sky lit up in a beautiful lightning display.

Barry S. Lerman wrote re: Thundersnow!
on 20 Dec 2008 8:38

Jerry,

Ditto here last night - 5PM eastern.  Driving home in snowstorm, all of a sudden the sky lit up as well.  Very pretty - but I must say it is so rare, that at first, I was shocked by it as I wasn't expecting it.  Interesting, that it was just one VERY large bolt, one thunderboom and it was over.

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