Snow in Florida?

Here is a public information statement from the NWS in Melbourne about this week’s snowfall in Florida.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
815 PM EST THU JAN 3 2008

..A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THIS MORNING’S OCEAN EFFECT SNOW EVENT

DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF THURSDAY…WEATHER CONDITIONS SET
UP IN MANNER VERY SIMILAR TO JANUARY 24, 2003…THE LAST TIME THAT
OCEAN EFFECT SNOW HAD BEEN OBSERVED IN EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA.

WHILE THE MECHANISM FOR PRODUCTION OF OCEAN EFFECT SNOW IS RATHER
COMPLEX…THE BASIC “INGREDIENTS” FOR A WINTER TIME OCEAN EFFECT
SNOW EVENT ARE LISTED BELOW…

1) A VERY COLD AIR MASS OVER CENTRAL FLORIDA THAT PRODUCES
TEMPERATURES NEAR OR BELOW FREEZING. IN ADDITION TO “SETTING THE
STAGE” OVER LAND…THIS COLD AIR WILL ALSO RESULT IN GENERATION OF A
LARGE MARINE STRATOCUMULUS FIELD OVER THE COMPARATIVELY WARM WATERS
OF THE ADJACENT ATLANTIC.

2) WINDS FROM THE NORTHWEST TO NORTH-NORTHWEST AT THE SURFACE…
NEEDED TO KEEP THE COLD AIR IN PLACE.

3) WINDS FROM THE NORTH TO NORTH-NORTHEAST FROM JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE
(FOR EXAMPLE 1,500 TO 2,000 FEET) UP TO CLOUD LEVEL…USUALLY ABOUT
3,000 TO 5,000 FEET. THIS WILL ALLOW THE MARINE CLOUD DECK TO PUSH ONSHORE THE EAST COAST.

THE COLD AIR…WARMED AND MOISTENED FROM THE OCEAN BELOW…RISES AND
ALLOWS MOISTURE TO CONDENSE OUT OF IT IN THE FORM OF SNOW CRYSTALS
..OR OFTEN TIMES A MIXTURE OF DRIZZLE…SNOW
SLEET OR GRAUPEL
(ALSO KNOWN SNOW PELLETS).

WHEN ALL OF THESE FACTORS ALL COME TOGETHER AT THE PREFERRED TIME
(GENERALLY FROM THE OVERNIGHT UNTIL A FEW HOURS AFTER SUNRISE)…
FROZEN PRECIPITATION CAN FALL FROM THE CLOUDS. SUCH AN OCCURRENCE IS
RELATIVELY RARE IN THIS AREA…SINCE ALL THE “INGREDIENTS” NEEDED TO
PRODUCE “OCEAN EFFECT” SNOW NEED TO COME TOGETHER AT THE RIGHT TIME.

BASED ON REPORTS FROM SPOTTERS…LAW ENFORCEMENT…NEWS MEDIA…AND
THE GENERAL PUBLIC…IT APPEARS THAT THE NORTHERN EXTENT OF FROZEN
PRECIPITATION WAS FLAGLER COUNTY…WHERE REPORTS CAME IN FROM
BUNNELL AND PALM COAST. THE SOUTHERNMOST RELIABLE REPORT CAME IN
FROM THE FELLSMERE-SEBASTIAN AREA IF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY.

PICTURES FROM VOLUSIA COUNTY INDICATE THAT MUCH OF THE FROZEN
PRECIPITATION IN THAT AREA FELL IN THE FORM OF GRAUPEL…OR SNOW
PELLETS. GRAUPEL FORMS WHEN SUPERCOOLED WATER DROPLETS CONDENSE ON
THE OUTSIDE OF A PRE-EXISTING SNOW PELLETS. PELLETS OF GRAUPEL ARE
OPAQUE (WHITE COLORED)…WHEN COMPARED TO SLEET (ICE PELLETS)…
WHICH IS MORE TRANSLUCENT (CLEAR).

OTHER REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE FROZEN PRECIPITATION ALSO FELL IN
THE FORM OF SNOWFLAKES…AND WAS OFTEN MIXED WITH DRIZZLE AND
SPRINKLES OF LIGHT RAIN.

THUS FAR…REPORTS OF SNOW HAVE COME FROM THE FOLLOWING COMMUNITIES
NEAR AND JUST NORTH OF THE MELBOURNE COUNTY WARNING AREA…

FLAGLER COUNTY…
BUNNELL
PALM COAST

VOLUSIA COUNTY…
ORMOND BEACH
DAYTONA BEACH
HOLLY HILL
PORT ORANGE
EDGEWATER

BREVARD COUNTY…
SCOTTSMOOR
SHARPES
ROCKLEDGE
MELBOURNE
PALM BAY
SATELLITE BEACH

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY…
FELLSMERE/SEBASTIAN

TEMPERATURES QUICKLY WARMED INTO THE 40S AND 50S DURING THE MID
MORNING…CHANGING THE PRECIPITATION ENTIRELY OVER TO LIQUID AND BRINGING THE EVENT TO AN END.

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