Distribution of Single-Banded Snowfall in Central U.S. Cyclones

Abstract

Abstract A climatology of single-banded snowfall in the central United States and the variability of processes at work in its formation are presented. Ninety-eight snowbands are identified in association with 66 cyclones over 5 yr spanning the winters from 2006/07 through 2010/11. An additional 38 cyclones featured nonbanded snowfall exceeding 4 in. (10.2 cm). Nearly twice as many bands were observed to the northeast of the surface low than to the northwest. Over each snowband’s life cycle, the median (mean) snowband lasted 4.0 (5.2) h, was 42 (45) km wide, 388 (428) km long, and had an aspect ratio of 10.2 (10.8). A common appearance exists for snowbands in different large-scale flow regimes and locations relative to the surface cyclone. The median snowband elongates during the first half of its life span, with its width remaining constant. During the second half of the median snowband’s life span, the length and width contract. Composite analysis of the synoptic and broad mesoscale environments that snowbands form in illustrates that the juxtaposition of the ingredients necessary for snowbands are similar no matter which quadrant of the surface low the band is located in, indicating that the synoptic-scale flow determines where these ingredients are organized with respect to the cyclone. The frequency of banded snowfall within each northern quadrant of the surface low, the typical snowband characteristics and their evolution, and the patterns that give rise to snowbands documented by this work can all prove useful to forecasters tasked with maintaining situational awareness in the presence of many solutions provided by ensemble numerical weather prediction.