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freezing Levels


Dave_Schuldt

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The NWS no longer shows freezing levels.

 

Forecast for the Central Cascades

 

Tonight: Periods of showers. Low around 29. West southwest wind between 9 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

 

Thursday: Periods of showers before 11am, then isolated thunderstorms after 11am. Some of the storms could produce small hail. High near 43. Southwest wind between 6 and 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

 

Thursday Night: Rain showers likely before 11pm, then a chance of snow showers. Some thunder is also possible. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. South southwest wind between 3 and 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

 

Friday: A chance of snow showers before 11am, then a chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 47. South southwest wind at 7 mph becoming northwest. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

 

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Northwest wind 7 to 9 mph becoming east southeast.

 

Saturday: A 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 48.

 

Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 33.

 

Sunday: Periods of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 50.

 

Sunday Night: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 36.

 

Columbus Day: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49.

 

Monday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35.

 

Tuesday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52.

 

Tuesday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.

 

Wednesday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50.

 

I call BS on this. Where can I get freezing levesls?

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"Washington Ice" (the book) has this formula but I don't get why this complexity is so necessary.

 

(temperature - 32deg) X 1000) divided by 3.5deg) + current elevation = freezing level

 

Snow levels are from 1-2000 feet lower depending on the intensity of the precip system.

 

 

example:

 

(54 degrees current temp - 32 degrees = 22deg) X 1000 = 22000) divided by 3.5 = 6286ft) + 400 ft = 6686 ft freezing level and a snow level of aprox 5600 or less ft.

 

 

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A more current example:

 

At my place the current temp is 48 deg f

 

48 - 32 = 16

 

16 x 100 = 16,000

 

16,000 div by 3.5 = 4571

 

4571 + my current elevation (400ft) = 4971 ft frz lvl (current)

 

snow level is aprox 4000 ft or less (at my location currently)

 

 

 

It should get down to say 44 deg f tonight which should drop the freeze level (at my location) down to around 3829 ft give or take.

 

 

I always liked this site too---> http://i90.atmos.washington.edu/roadview/i90/

 

 

.

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The NWS no longer shows freezing levels.

 

1. The NOAA mountain zone forecast reports "snow level" as x thousands of feet here or there. 'Freezing level' and 'snow level' mean the same thing, the altitude at which precip comes down liquid or frozen. Is that good enough?

 

2. If you were not on a mountain zone WS page, maybe they didn't post the freezing level just because it's early October and much too early for the general population to care.

 

Anyway, I see right there on the mountain zone pages that they are reporting snow level so your assertion is incorrect. No BS to call on anything but your kneejerk reaction.

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"Washington Ice" (the book) has this formula but I don't get why this complexity is so necessary.

 

(temperature - 32deg) X 1000) divided by 3.5deg) + current elevation = freezing level

 

Dude, I'm sorry but you must be ..oh forget it. All that "complex" formula says is temperatures decrease 3.5 degrees per 1000' of altitude. Rerality can vary considerably from that.

Edited by dberdinka
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1. The NOAA mountain zone forecast reports "snow level" as x thousands of feet here or there. 'Freezing level' and 'snow level' mean the same thing, the altitude at which precip comes down liquid or frozen. Is that good enough?

 

They aren't the same thing. Snow level is usually ~1500ft below freezing level. Snow will continue to fall in above freezing air before it finally turns to rain.

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This is easier. Really dry air, say, 15% humidity or so, the lapse rate approaches 5 degrees F per 1000 feet gain. Really wet air, 100% or close to it, the lapse rate approaches 3 degrees F per 1000 feet. That rule of thumb has worked for me. So in the Cascades one could use 3.5 most of the time, right? Here in scenic Idaho, I use 4 or better.

 

 

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OK, so for sure on the NOAA page "snow level" means *only* that snow might fall at that elevation, regardless of air temp?

 

Yes... more relevantly, if you have a 2000ft snow level, the snow will be wet and crappy at 2000ft, and probably at 3000ft too.

 

Snow can fall at up to +2C and rain can fall at up to -2C.

 

I've been rained on when it was -10C.

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Dave- if you do a point forecast, it won't show freezing levels. Try searching things like these on the Noaa pages:

West Slopes of the North Cascades

East Slopes of the North Cascades

 

These more generalized forecasts show freezing levels where the point forecasts don't. At least that's what I've found.

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The NWS no longer shows freezing levels.

 

1. The NOAA mountain zone forecast reports "snow level" as x thousands of feet here or there. 'Freezing level' and 'snow level' mean the same thing, the altitude at which precip comes down liquid or frozen. Is that good enough?

 

2. If you were not on a mountain zone WS page, maybe they didn't post the freezing level just because it's early October and much too early for the general population to care.

 

Anyway, I see right there on the mountain zone pages that they are reporting snow level so your assertion is incorrect. No BS to call on anything but your kneejerk reaction.

 

I cut and pasted the forecast.

Please provide link to forecast w/ freezing levels

Edited by Dave_Schuldt
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