Winter Storm "Pax" - One To Remember

Greetings Everyone,

I know I said I would provide you guys with a wrap up of the storm along with how my predictions held up.

My first post on Facebook about the impending storm was on Feburary 8th, and I went into detail about the "Possibilities" of a major winter event in South Carolina. I really began watching the possibilities on Febuary the 6th, and continued to monitor computer models and began to develop a forecast by looking at specific patterns and the setup of the storm. By Feb. 8th, I felt comfortable enough to put it up and say this was a possibility and went ahead with it. 

As the storm continued to develop in Southern Texas, and it became apparent that a strong "Wedge" of cold air would be in place, and I felt that a Winter Storm would be very possible if not a certainty. All of the major computer models were calling for "Something" to happen however, they were very confused and throwing ridiculous scenarios out. While all of this was happening, some major media outlets were still reporting that this would be nothing but a cold rain, which I felt personally wasn't going to be the case.

I took a lot of flack from a lot of people questioning my weather knowledge and ability to forecast the weather. I can actually understand where some of those folks were coming from. They don't know me, they don't understand my passion for meteorology. I get it, I really do. It's understandable, in this day in age of social media journalism, it's hard to believe things you see. It would be no different than me seeing a post from someone saying that the NCAA will start paying football players next week. I would say no way, not going to happen, this person has lost their mind and move on about my business. 

I hope that I made some believers out of my posts concerning this storm before it was plastered all over every news outlet in South Carolina and invite you to like my Facebook Page, Things That Matter and to subscribe to this blog. I cannot promise that you will hear about the next big storm first from me but, if I begin to talk about the possibilities of a major weather event, there is an honest legitimate chance for it to happen. I would rather be right than first. 

I had forcasted 3-5" of snow and 3/4" of ice here in the midlands and I stood pretty firm on that through the first 24Hrs of the Storm. 

I then forecasted another round of snow to begin on Thursday Morning around 7AM and lasting till about Noon with possibly 2-4" of additional Accumulation. 

The wild card would be, where would it all set up ? 

I knew right here in the Columbia/Lexington area we would be right on the dividing line of Snow/Sleet/and Ice. I also knew 20 miles could have been the difference in 3" of snow or 1/2" of Ice and that was incredibly difficult to forecast. 

Here is a few maps of the total snowfall and ice throughout the state from the National Weather Service.

Given the fact that I knew the setup was going to be difficult, I think I did pretty well in all. This storm was crippling to the electrical infrastructure in the areas South and West of Lexington and I feel sure that will be a storm they will remember for decades.  

Here is a satellite image of the Storm in all its fury as it gets ready to exit South Carolina. Its a pretty awesome picture. Notice the higher cloud tops from Columbia and North-East.

Again,

Thank you guys so much for giving me the support to continue this and hope to have more weather to report on in the near future! Without readers and followers, none of this would exist, period. 

Thanks Again, 

Chris 
Follow Me on Twitter - ChrisJacksonSC.
Like my Facebook Page