2023 Weather Thread

stormchaser · Post by **stormchaser** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 10:12 pm

Winter weather advisory has been issued for the Omaha metro. Up to 2 inches of snow and some ice - mostly overnight Wednesday into Thursday. Enough to make the commute a mess probably…

Winter weather advisory text:
https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx. ... _VA3_dMHDs

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 1:42 am

Lotta icy roads with this freezing drizzle. Pretty hairy for walking for sure.

Cermak · Post by **Cermak** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 2:39 am

I would be surprised if metro schools are open tomorrow. Most of the sidewalks are treacherous
Driveways and any stairs as well.

Cermak · Post by **Cermak** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 2:39 am

I would be surprised if metro schools are open tomorrow. Most of the sidewalks are treacherous
, driveways and any stairs as well. The main roads when I was out earlier this evening seemed just wet.

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 2:42 am

OPS is closed

Post by **Brad** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 12:56 pm

Louie wrote: Thu Feb 23, 2023 2:42 amOPS is closed

Doesn’t seem like it?

Cermak · Post by **Cermak** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 2:21 pm

Brad wrote: Thu Feb 23, 2023 12:56 pm
Louie wrote: Thu Feb 23, 2023 2:42 amOPS is closed

Doesn’t seem like it?

Agree, they are open, they've been closed on days not as bad as this.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 2:30 pm

OPS is open..

My sister, who works for OPS, reported to work this morning…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 2:48 pm

And I live across the street from an OPS elementary school and that is open as well..

It is a bit surprising to me OPS wasn’t closed or at least delayed this morning…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

Cermak · Post by **Cermak** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 3:14 pm

Omaha Cowboy wrote: Thu Feb 23, 2023 2:48 pm And I live across the street from an OPS elementary school and that is open as well..

It is a bit surprising to me OPS wasn’t closed or at least delayed this morning…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

Surprised as well, probably one of the worst days they haven't cancelled that I can recall.

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 3:19 pm

Yep, kid got the wrong info from a friend last night. Went to school.

stormchaser · Post by **stormchaser** » Fri Feb 24, 2023 1:26 pm

We will transition from Winter to more Spring-like weather this weekend for much of NE/IA. A balmy 3 degrees right now in Omaha and we will get into the mid-50s by Sunday.

We should also get a good amount of rain on Sunday/Sunday night with the potential for thunderstorms/heavy rain. The NWS is currently forecasting 1-2 inches of rain in our area though right now those amounts seem more probabe based on the latest forecast models to our east/southeast (who knows though - the GFS hits our area hard, the other models have the heavier stuff more in southwest IA). A few places could receive higher totals depending on where the actual thunder storms end up (odds are higher to our south).

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Fri Feb 24, 2023 2:56 pm

stormchaser wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 1:26 pm We will transition from Winter to more Spring-like weather this weekend for much of NE/IA. A balmy 3 degrees right now in Omaha and we will get into the mid-50s by Sunday.

We should also get a good amount of rain on Sunday/Sunday night with the potential for thunderstorms/heavy rain. The NWS is currently forecasting 1-2 inches of rain in our area though right now those amounts seem more probabe based on the latest forecast models to our east/southeast (who knows though - the GFS hits our area hard, the other models have the heavier stuff more in southwest IA). A few places could receive higher totals depending on where the actual thunder storms end up (odds are higher to our south).

Now this is what I like to see- mid 50’s for high temps and no frozen precipitation…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Fri Feb 24, 2023 3:12 pm

This should really thaw out everything (ground included) from the latest cold snap.

Post by **BRoss** » Fri Feb 24, 2023 3:18 pm

I hope it's not too long until some 70s.

Cermak · Post by **Cermak** » Fri Feb 24, 2023 4:24 pm

It was just raw out yesterday. Most of the cold snaps this winter haven't lasted for more than a few days, except for the brutal one around Christmas. Maybe the ground will thaw out nextweek, as it's still frozen.

stormchaser · Post by **stormchaser** » Fri Feb 24, 2023 6:53 pm

BRoss wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 3:18 pm I hope it's not too long until some 70s.

Unfortunately not looking too likely anytime soon anyway based on long range models (not for the next couple of weeks unless things change).

While currently there aren't any shots of cold air depicted for our area, highs are mostly in the 40s and 50s as we head into March...

stormchaser · Post by **stormchaser** » Mon Feb 27, 2023 12:56 am

First severe thunderstorm warning of the year for our general region (I believe anyway) currently southwest of Lincoln…

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Mon Feb 27, 2023 3:04 am

Hearing rumbles of thunder and some rain out in my neck of the woods- 129th and West Center Rd area…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Mon Feb 27, 2023 3:31 am

I hear the sounds of thunder right now also!

stormchaser · Post by **stormchaser** » Mon Feb 27, 2023 1:57 pm

Unfortunately rain totals last night ended up being underwhelming in Omaha itself with generally .25"-".5" of rain (not that I'm complaining - anything is better than nothing) based on radar estimates anyway.

Heavier rain totals west of Columbus and east/southeast of Omaha in southwest IA (as expected) where some of those areas saw rain totals over 1" (the pink/purple areas on the image below).

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Mon Feb 27, 2023 3:10 pm

A mellow thundershower AND the dog didn't notice the lightning and go berserk? That's a late February win right there.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Mon Feb 27, 2023 5:21 pm

I hear about .5 inches last night…

damonhynes · Post by **damonhynes** » Mon Feb 27, 2023 9:20 pm

I'm really not too disappointed about the totals. Could do without another bout of flooding.

stormchaser · Post by **stormchaser** » Tue Feb 28, 2023 1:40 pm

Been keeping a close eye on a potential significant winter storm/potential blizzard that has been depicted for several days now to pass just southeast of us in parts of MO, eastern IA and up toward Chicago.

There is relatively good model agreement that keeps this storm system to our south and east, but sudden changes are obviously possible so it's worth mentioning.

Fingers crossed that we dodge the bullet yet again...

Here is simulated radar from the 00z ECMWF showing the strong storm system for this coming Friday. To be clear, I'm not cherry picking the model that looks "worse" - the ECMWF just tends to be the more reliable of the long range models.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Fri Mar 03, 2023 2:55 pm

Weather is looking great for the Omaha metro this weekend..

Highs in the low 50’s today and Saturday and 60 on Sunday. I’ll take it for early March

…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Fri Mar 03, 2023 4:38 pm

The one thing we haven't had this year yet is a 70 degree day. For Feb, the warmest was only 61. Usually we have at least one upper 60 degree day by now.

stormchaser · Post by **stormchaser** » Fri Mar 03, 2023 4:51 pm

Yeah, should be pretty nice this weekend - maybe 60s on Sunday (though low 60s).

Unfortunately toward the middle to end of this upcoming week isn't looking great though (relatively cold probably at least some snow).

But lets just focus on the nicer weather for now

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Fri Mar 03, 2023 5:06 pm

stormchaser wrote: Fri Mar 03, 2023 4:51 pm

Unfortunately toward the middle to end of this upcoming week isn't looking great though (relatively cold probably at least some snow).

how dare you

stormchaser · Post by **stormchaser** » Fri Mar 03, 2023 5:31 pm

Louie wrote: Fri Mar 03, 2023 5:06 pm
stormchaser wrote: Fri Mar 03, 2023 4:51 pm

Unfortunately toward the middle to end of this upcoming week isn't looking great though (relatively cold probably at least some snow).

how dare you

Lol sorry

stormchaser · Post by **stormchaser** » Fri Mar 03, 2023 5:43 pm

Just to brighten everyone's day...

These are the depicted snow totals based on the 12z GFS for the mid-to-late week storm systems that "may" move through our area (there's more than one depicted on this model run of the GFS anyway).

Yep, that's a large area of 20"-30"+ of snow being depicted in parts of the area (mostly southwest of us but still).

**To clarify, there is nearly ZERO chance this will actually happen at this point anyway.** I'm posting it here more for comic relief and to hopefully help jinx things - but I'm sure someone out there on social media will post it and pretend like it's 100% going to happen.

Realistically, forecast models tend to get crazy this time of year so I'm not surprised to see this.

Fingers crossed we get NO snow at all. Thankfully the ECMWF isn't showing anything anywhere close to totals like this.

**This map isn't a forecast, please read the included text above**

Post by **BRoss** » Fri Mar 03, 2023 7:54 pm

skinzfan23 wrote: Fri Mar 03, 2023 4:38 pm The one thing we haven't had this year yet is a 70 degree day. For Feb, the warmest was only 61. Usually we have at least one upper 60 degree day by now.

I've been thinking the same. While it may be a little early for 70s (despite getting them by now last year), the fact there is not even mid 60s in the forecast is a little disappointing. And what I see later next week through the weekend for temps is even moreso.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Sat Mar 04, 2023 9:28 pm

Just a hunch, but I think the high temp tomorrow will nudge up to 65..

Fingers crossed

for that…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

stormchaser · Post by **stormchaser** » Sun Mar 05, 2023 1:14 pm

Omaha Cowboy wrote: Sat Mar 04, 2023 9:28 pm Just a hunch, but I think the high temp tomorrow will nudge up to 65..

Fingers crossed for that…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

Wouldn’t surprise me but it will be somewhat windy so it probably won’t feel “as warm” (though I’m not complaining).

Potential still exists for a significant winter storm to impact parts of the area during the last half of this upcoming week (especially Thursday/Friday).

Right now, the main impacts look west/north of Omaha (barely) so we may have some precipitation type issues here locally.

That said, the latest forecast models have started to back off on the potential so "hopefully" that means this will end up being no big deal.

Fingers crossed...

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Mon Mar 06, 2023 4:42 pm

stormchaser wrote: Sun Mar 05, 2023 1:14 pm
Omaha Cowboy wrote: Sat Mar 04, 2023 9:28 pm Just a hunch, but I think the high temp tomorrow will nudge up to 65..

Fingers crossed for that…

Ciao..LiO…Peace
Wouldn’t surprise me but it will be somewhat windy so it probably won’t feel “as warm” (though I’m not complaining).

Potential still exists for a significant winter storm to impact parts of the area during the last half of this upcoming week (especially Thursday/Friday).

Right now, the main impacts look west/north of Omaha (barely) so we may have some precipitation type issues here locally.

That said, the latest forecast models have started to back off on the potential so "hopefully" that means this will end up being no big deal.

Fingers crossed...

Didn’t quite get there with a high yesterday of 61..but it was such a nice day yesterday for sure…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Mon Mar 06, 2023 5:23 pm

The wind was much less than anticipated.

nativeomahan · Post by **nativeomahan** » Mon Mar 06, 2023 5:46 pm

It was 67 in Plattsmouth and 68 in Lincoln.

Cermak · Post by **Cermak** » Tue Mar 07, 2023 10:58 am

Looks like yet another snowstorm will be missing us and hitting central Minnesota later this week. They have been getting pounded this winter.

stormchaser · Post by **stormchaser** » Tue Mar 07, 2023 1:44 pm

Cermak wrote: Tue Mar 07, 2023 10:58 am Looks like yet another snowstorm will be missing us and hitting central Minnesota later this week. They have been getting pounded this winter.

Yep - glad I don't live up there anymore...

That said, still a challenging forecast down here in Omaha too. It will "probably" remain warm enough to mostly be rain BUT models still aren't in great agreement and a few still switch precip over to all snow with several inches possible in our area.

Realistically given the fact we will get a decent amount of rain first and temps will mostly hover around freezing and/or the upper 20s for lows, it will be pretty difficult for snow to accumulate - unless things get colder down here than currently depicted.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Sat Mar 11, 2023 12:32 am

98% of the state of Nebraska is in a drought: What you can do to help

The state of Nebraska is dry, so dry in fact, 1.8 million people across the Cornhusker state are being impacted by the lack of water. “So if we go to Douglass County, you can drill right down into that and see right now, 100% of Douglas County is in drought,” says climatologist Brian Fuchs with the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. “A little over 87% is in severe drought or worse and 15% of the county is in extreme drought or worse and so that is just for Douglas.” According to Fuchs, Nebraska has seen this significant amount of drought for some time now, while the state typically only sees levels like this about once every 25 years or more. That’s why he’s calling it a “significant event” that can impact Nebraska agriculture. “If this drought continues to be ongoing into much of 23′, which right now, it’s looking like it could, we could start to see more discussion about water restrictions and that, as we get into the spring and summer of this year.”