Whatever Happened To Wintertime Gulf Lows?
02/15/2009 23:27
Most substantial snowfalls for Atlanta are associated with storm systems that form in and track along the northern Gulf of Mexico. These SNOW producing Gulf lows were more common back in the 80’s into the early 90’s. (It really did SNOW more when I was a kid!)
Significant SNOW producing storms for Atlanta generally fall into two different categories.
1.) The first type (and best since the SNOW actually sticks) forms after a significant arctic front moves through. The storm develops on the stalled boundary of the arctic air in the gulf and tracks toward the NE. With this type of storm, the coverage of SNOW can be across a fairly large area.
SNOW JAM ’82
I was just a little boy when this happened, and I don’t remember much about it. However, I have heard the stories for as long as I can remember. Heavy SNOW started falling just before rush hour on Tuesday, January 12, 1982. Many commuters who started home never made it with their vehicles. Some were forced to stay the night at their place of work. Cold air was definitely in place for this event. The previous two days saw lows BELOW ZERO! I don’t think it gets anymore Winter than this...
I-85 and Peachtree Road (Amtrak Station) - Atlanta Snow Jam ’82
* * *
2.) The second type is a cold core upper level low. This type of storm can pull in cold air from the upper atmosphere and advect to the surface. The SNOW can be very heavy with this type but is generally confined to a very narrow band. It is also interesting to note that with ULL’s it can be fairly warm at the surface (well into the 40’s) and still SNOW.
LATE SEASON SNOW - MARCH 1983
A cold core low dumped 8 inches of SNOW on Atlanta on March 24, 1983. The band was very narrow, but Atlanta wound up in the bulls-eye!
Of course the “Gulf Low to End All Lows” was the “Super Storm” of 1993. I remember the “Storm of the Century” very well, but I’ll save that for a post next month (near the anniversary).
The pattern of the last decade(+) has not favored SNOW storms. I hope to do a future post on the cause of this, and if there is any hope that this horrible pattern will end.
Here’s to the return of the Wintertime Gulf Low!!!
Significant SNOW producing storms for Atlanta generally fall into two different categories.
1.) The first type (and best since the SNOW actually sticks) forms after a significant arctic front moves through. The storm develops on the stalled boundary of the arctic air in the gulf and tracks toward the NE. With this type of storm, the coverage of SNOW can be across a fairly large area.
SNOW JAM ’82
I-85 and Peachtree Road (Amtrak Station) - Atlanta Snow Jam ’82
* * *
2.) The second type is a cold core upper level low. This type of storm can pull in cold air from the upper atmosphere and advect to the surface. The SNOW can be very heavy with this type but is generally confined to a very narrow band. It is also interesting to note that with ULL’s it can be fairly warm at the surface (well into the 40’s) and still SNOW.
LATE SEASON SNOW - MARCH 1983
A cold core low dumped 8 inches of SNOW on Atlanta on March 24, 1983. The band was very narrow, but Atlanta wound up in the bulls-eye!
Of course the “Gulf Low to End All Lows” was the “Super Storm” of 1993. I remember the “Storm of the Century” very well, but I’ll save that for a post next month (near the anniversary).
The pattern of the last decade(+) has not favored SNOW storms. I hope to do a future post on the cause of this, and if there is any hope that this horrible pattern will end.
Here’s to the return of the Wintertime Gulf Low!!!