IEM Daily Bulletin

[Iowa Mesonet]

Iowa Environmental Mesonet Daily Bulletin
Data valid for 22 December 2007

> News
 +----------------------------------------------
 | Title : Limited Visibility Reports
 | Date  : 22 Dec 06:36 PM
 | Author: Daryl Herzmann
 | URL   : http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/roads/
 +----------------------------------------------

I have added some more information to the IEM generated road 
conditions plot.  The report produced by the Iowa DOT + State 
Patrol also contains reports of limited visibility.  I have added
this to the default map by including a large grey outline around
the road segment.  If you don't like the addition or have other
suggestions, please let me know.

> Yesterday's Daily Feature

 +----------------------------------------------
http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/onsite/features/cat.php?day=2007-12-22
 | Title : High snowfall rates
 | Date  : 22 Dec 07:45 AM
 | Votes : Good: 19   Bad: 4
 +----------------------------------------------

The image shows the hourly time series (right to left) of the NAM's predicted snowfall (gray bars) for Davenport using the model's predicted snow ratio. Saturday afternoon, there is strong lift (red contours) in the atmosphere, the strongest of which is centered in the -12C to -18C temperature range known as the dendritic snow growth zone (purple/yellow contours).  When this occurs, it can sometimes lead to enhanced precipitation rates.  This image is taken from BUFKIT, you can find out more about this program on <a href="http://www.meteor.iastate.edu/~ckarsten/bufkit/bufkit.html">The BUFKIT Warehouse</a> website.

> NWS Watch/Warning Summary
*** Products issued on 22 Dec 2007

             Summary +_________ By WFO ____________+  Watches 
Type         US   IA | ARX   DVN   DMX   OAX   FSD |  US 
Tornado       0    0 |   0     0     0     0     0 |   1
Svr Tstorm   10    0 |   0     0     0     0     0 |   0
Fl Flood      0    0 |   0     0     0     0     0 | N/A

ARX = LaCrosse, WI  DVN = Davenport, IA    DMX = Des Moines, IA 
OAX = Omaha, NE     FSD = Sioux Falls, SD