WINTER STOM WATCH FOR LAUREL HIGHLANDS
January 19, 2007
Weather . com has issued a storm watch for the laurel highlands.
Winter Storm Watch
/O.NEW.KCTP.WS.A.0001.070119T1500Z- 070120T1600Z/ CAMBRIA-SOMERSET- 402 AM EST THU JAN 18 2007
...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.
A STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AND INTENSIFY AS IT MOVES INTO THE CANADIAN MARITIMES LATER TODAY AND FRIDAY. THIS WILL SET THE STAGE FOR COLD AIR TO FLOW OVER THE STILL UNFROZEN WATERS OF THE GREAT LAKES... AND CAUSE SNOW SHOWERS AND SQUALLS TO FORM OVER THE REGION.
SNOW SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP BY FRIDAY MORNING...AND CAN BE EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY AS THE DAY WEARS ON. THE SNOW COULD FALL HEAVY AT TIMES...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR 6 INCHES OR MORE BY SATURDAY MORNING. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG THE RIDGE TOPS OF CAMBRIA AND SOMERSET COUNTIES WHERE UP TO A FOOT MAY FALL IN SOME AREAS BY SATURDAY MORNING.
IN ADDITION TO THE SNOW SHOWERS AND SQUALLS...BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED AS WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 25 TO 30 MPH DEVELOP. THIS MAY CAUSE LOCAL WHITE OUT CONDITIONS AND MAKE FOR EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TRAVEL.
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW OR ICE ACCUMULATION THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. THE EXACT PATH OF THIS STORM SYSTEM IS UNCERTAIN. HOWEVER...IF HEAVY SNOW OR ICE BECOMES IMMINENT...A WINTER STORM WARNING WILL BE ISSUED.
NEW: More detailed local map tracking!
I'm actually giddy...
Depending on wind strength and moisture amounts, the WV alps could get hammered as well..... goody! goody! goody!
An east coast winter storm watch... I've heard of those mystical things but never really sure what they were! lol
Brad,
Actually the classic east coast winter storm is an NorEaster moving along the coast and pumping tons of moisture into already cold air. This "storm" you refer to is a low pressure way up north pushing a Northerly flow of air over the lakes producing Lake Effect Snow. But who cares...it should be a great weekend to be in the MidAtlantic Alps.
The Colonel
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Brad,
Actually the classic east coast winter storm is an NorEaster moving along the coast and pumping tons of moisture into already cold air. This "storm" you refer to is a low pressure way up north pushing a Northerly flow of air over the lakes producing Lake Effect Snow. But who cares...it should be a great weekend to be in the MidAtlantic Alps.
The Colonel
True that....if anyone is interested, I wrote a short article about why Garrett Co. gets so much snow in my blog:
http://deepcreeklakeblog.blogspot.com/
just scroll down about 3 or 4 posts. details the 3 main types of snows, same applies for the valley.
Gary - Off topic, but what is the status with the construction at the top of Wisp? Last year when I was riding over on the new slopes alot, in the spring I saw dozers over in the woods beside Ace's Run trail. Also looked like a building was going in in the hill area overlooking Ridge Run. Is this supposed to be a mountain top village of sorts? Open to the public or land owners only?
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Gary - Off topic, but what is the status with the construction at the top of Wisp? Last year when I was riding over on the new slopes alot, in the spring I saw dozers over in the woods beside Ace's Run trail. Also looked like a building was going in in the hill area overlooking Ridge Run. Is this supposed to be a mountain top village of sorts? Open to the public or land owners only?
Hey Brad, my understanding is that those (near Aces) are residential lots...the mountain top village is still in the early stages, and I am not yet certain exactly where it is going in. Hopefully this season's poor first half will not disrupt any of those proposed plans. I am not sure about the building you are referring to...I'll have to look next time I'm over there.
The area where some dozers were working and where it looked like a foundation was being poured is just above Ridge Run. I first noticed it when riding chair 7 to the top. I looked over to my left and saw dozers and concrete pouring (or what it appeared to be anyway). Well I got off chair 7, forked to the right and went down Ridge Run rather than Ace's and that building I'm referring too would be up on the hill on the skiiers right before the trail intersects with Backbone.
That mountain top lodge area, is that finished yet? I saw alot of cars parked over there last winter and wonder if that was a lodge/dining area skiin/out type of area?
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The area where some dozers were working and where it looked like a foundation was being poured is just above Ridge Run. I first noticed it when riding chair 7 to the top. I looked over to my left and saw dozers and concrete pouring (or what it appeared to be anyway). Well I got off chair 7, forked to the right and went down Ridge Run rather than Ace's and that building I'm referring too would be up on the hill on the skiiers right before the trail intersects with Backbone.
That mountain top lodge area, is that finished yet? I saw alot of cars parked over there last winter and wonder if that was a lodge/dining area skiin/out type of area?
Yes the area at the peak is a large parking area, for spillover, but also where employees must park on busy days. One of the buildings at the top is also the pumphouse, with the state of the art snowmaking controls, tvs etc. Another building is a "discovery center" but haven't been there yet. Next time your up you'll also notice that the manmade whitewater course is completed, it looks pretty fun.
Here is a link to the Deep Creek Resort Master Plan:
http://www.deepcreekmtnresort.com/DCMRmap.php
Thanks for that info. I had wondered where the new pumphouse was. For a time I thought that might have just been a eatery lodge. I am really impressed by the future agressive ski expansion on the Wisp Map. I counted at least ANOTHER 18 trails on the far back side. This would REALLY let Wisp compete against the likes of Snowshoe to brag about trail counts and offer a complete get away and not just have all the trails on one side facing the same direction.
