Observations Of Snow Particle Characteristics During The 9-10 December 2018 Major Snowstorm In The Southern Appalachian Mountains

Although major snowstorms result in substantial societal and economic impact across the southern Appalachian Mountains, numerous critical parameters (e.g., lower tropospheric thermal structure, snow crystal type and degree of riming, quantitative precipitation forecast) are frequently not well characterized in numerical weather prediction models. This study analyzes the meteorological characteristics of the 9-10 December 2018 major winter storm using data from a Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera (MASC), a vertically pointing Micro Rain Radar (MRR), the ERA-Interim dataset, NOAA’s Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) soundings, and other in-situ measurements. In particular, the MASC data allowed for classification of snow crystal types, complexities, and degree of riming throughout the entire storm. There is a clear correlation in the complexity and roughness of the ice crystals as the storm progressed in time. This correlation aligns with different weather variables that were collected on the surface as well as aloft. This study enhances an understanding of the process and components of the winter storm along with an improved understanding of the differences among snowfall events.