Rare Thunder Snow in Texas

[Horseofadifferentcolor]

Thundersnow, also known as a winter thunderstorm or a thunder snowstorm, is an extremely rare[1] kind of thunderstorm with snow falling as the primary precipitation instead of rain. It typically falls in regions of strong upward motion within the cold sector of an extratropical cyclone. Thermodynamically, it is not different from any other type of thunderstorms but the top of the cumulonimbus are usually quite low. As well as snow, graupel, or more rarely hail also commonly falls.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thundersnow


Today, thundersnow erupted from Waco to Dallas just prior to sunrise while liquid rain fell in Austin overnight.

http://austin.ynn.com/content/weather/

The little snow pellets looked like lots of white lentils everywhere.

 

[Aliana]

Yes, it was quite a surprise to see snow again so soon in the Dallas area. And it feels so much colder than usual. I went home at lunch and put on two more layers. Guess I am not doing well with the cold-adaptation.

Here are some more pictures of North Texas.

_http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/photo-blog-dallas-thundersnow/4194520

 

[Horseofadifferentcolor]

Yes, it was quite a surprise to see snow again so soon in the Dallas area. And it feels so much colder than usual. I went home at lunch and put on two more layers. Guess I am not doing well with the cold-adaptation.

Here are some more pictures of North Texas.

_http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/photo-blog-dallas-thundersnow/4194520

I too have been surprised at how many freezes we have had this year. In the central texas area we usually only have a few freezes, but this year it has been alot. It's been musical plants in our house. I feel like moving some place tropical so me and my plants can be warm year around. Boy, I sure am gonna be a big baby if an ice age hits! :P Brrrr

 

[Lilou]

We had thundersnow a couple of years ago here in southeast lower Michigan. It was the first time I had ever heard of such a thing. That same year, we also had "freezing fog". Another weather phenomenon that I didn't know existed.

The weather is certainly extreme - Sunday we were 60F, by Monday, it was 20F. I really don't care if it is cold, just as long as wind and snow doesn't come with it.

 

[Aliana]

The weather is certainly extreme - Sunday we were 60F, by Monday, it was 20F. I really don't care if it is cold, just as long as wind and snow doesn't come with it.

Wind is not friendly!! It gets really creepy here when the wind starts up - fortunately we have had rain, so don't have to worry as much about wildfires as we did the past few years. And in Texas, snow is deadly. Most of us have no idea how to drive in it and even a light dusting causes major traffic chaos.

The strange up and down of the temperatures sure have made it difficult trying to adapt. Our temps have been bouncing from the 70's down to the 40's during the day and from the 50's down to the upper 20's - 30's at night fairly consistently. If you don't watch the weather you can be really surprised - walking out of the house with a light sweater and coat and then freezing, or dressing in multiple layers because you were frozen the day before, only to be sweating in your car by mid-day. It's really bizarre.