******************
Hello, I am NOT trying to make you guys work harder or try to stir up exciment, but if this Low takes the path it's supposed to on Christmas Day could the possibilty for a white Christmas go up? I know we all want one, and right now the coumputer models ect... MUST take what they are saying! So, with all of this-- is the/has the storm system already devolped, and headed our way for Christmas.
-----------------
Alden,

The storm that could affect Christmas Day will be forming as it goes by. We had something similar happen in November and we got nothing. It is a bit colder this time, so we will see if it produces any snow. I would keep it at a slight chance.

Gary

********************
Those are awesome pictures but, again, better them than us. I have a daughter flying out to California today and I am so thankful she doesn't route through Denver.
I do have a question but it has nothing to do with snow.
Being from the desert , I have tried to explain far too many times, that 60 degrees here feels warm but in the desert it feels pretty cool. In March,while visitng my folks, people were watching the Royals train in Surprise, AZ and it was cloudy and 60 and everyone had goose bumps. I've also explained that in the winter we experienced night time freezing temps but I get pooh-poohed.
I attribute the different feel to the lack of humidity there that makes the temps feel cooler in the desert than the same temp does here. No one believes me , either, that along the beach once the sun goes down in the summer people put on sweatshirts. Until they get to San Diego and see for themselves they think I'm crazy.
Can you give me an explanation so I can finally get these disbelievers to hush?
--------------
Jeri,

60 degrees in Arizona is the same as 60 degrees here. If we had dropped to the 20s or 30s for a few days all of a sudden 60 degrees feels so nice. But, in Phoenix it will feel cool if you are wearing short sleeves, etc. The humidity would impact the temperature feeling a bit, but more likely when the temperatures are near 100 degrees.

The same thing happens in California when I go visit. It is just that they are not used to it so when it cools down to 60 degrees they panic and get their coats out. It is all relative really.

So, I must say that it is more perception on your part and not reality.

Gary

**************
Gary I thought you were on break this must be pretty exciting.
--------------------
Daniel,

I had a good couple of days off. I have been studying my theory a bit, and otherwise relaxing. I will be blogging about the cycle today as I have some compelling evidence that should quiet any skeptics of my theory.

Gary

*******************
Gary,

You already have the scoop on the Colorado storm but I promised I would report back on how much snow we got in Fort Collins: 23" was the official snowfall, but as usual some variation depending on location. In Fort Collins, we got all this snow in basically a 12-14 hour period. One impressive number you may not have heard - at Glen Haven (between Loveland and Estes Park) they received 52" in this storm, the most I have heard.

This year IS definitely different than last year or the last several. This year, there are at least OPPORTUNITIES for storms and sooner or later you in KC WILL get hit with snow (early January?). In any event, like I said in an earlier post, no one should be unhappy with 1"+ rain, especially this time of year.

Merry Christmas all,

Doug

**************
The models are showing 2 major and 2-3 minor storms in the next 2 weeks and one more major storm heading our way for the 8th

1. Do they fit you theory?
2. What are the chances of us seeing them?
3. shouldnt you aise the chances of snow next week?
----------------------------
Charles,

The only one that really fits the pattern is Monday's storm. The others are likely imposters. There are waves that move by in the next 7 days, so one of them could amplify and surprise us, but the next big feature is due between the 4th an 10th of January. This is not that far away.

Gary

*************
hi gary isee in your blog you are talking ofmore exciting times how soon and is it very favorable do you see any cold air yet have a good christmas
--------------------
John,

The first 10 days of January should have at least one big storm.

Gary

**************
Had trouble getting the internet to work yesterday,GRRR!
I'm back today though, those pics of snow in Colorado are making my mouth water! As for this years pattern, yes there is still hope but waiting for the snow is so hard, but for moisture it is actually not a bad pattern so far so mabye it is a good sign for the rest of the "GRC year" at least. I also do agree with a previous comment about the lack of "small to medium" snows.
Thanks for your time.
Nick in (grey)St. Joe!

Problem with digging troughs are the troughs just do not seem to know when to stop digging and usually end up way south of us. All of a sudden we are too far north for snow!!

Hopefully this one will stop in time for us to get another storm out of it.
-------------------
Leonard,

Unfortunately this one is likely going to just slip on by us.

Gary

***************
Hey Gary,
The 18UTC GFS is nice to see. The precip that it is showing up over us Christmas Day is exciting to see. I notice (if I am reading it correctly) that at 500mb it is well below freezing but at the surface it is still above freezing during the precipitation even. If this solution verifies as is, is this a snow situation or rain? Thanks, Mike P
------------------
Mike,

It will be snow if we can get anything to fall out of the sky.

Gary

***************
I thought I would share a really interesting article from National Geographic about the different shapes of snowflakes. You can read it here: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0226_040226_snowflakes.html

Have a Merry Christmas!!!
---------------------
Marlina,

Thanks, I read the article.

Gary

Gary

Gary,
Those pictures are incredible. They make me jealous. It reminds me of the 1978 New England Blizzard (we got 28 inches though an hour from us got over 54 inches) and the April Fools Day storm in 1997, where we had 33 inches.
It's incredible to come out, see the beauty of all the snow, and time to fork out some money for somebody to plow your driveway.
Hope you, the staff, all of the fellow bloggers and your families all have a great holiday season!
-----------------------
Matt,

Thanks, and happy holidays to your family as well.

Gary

******************
Gary:

Thanks so much for responding to all my blogs-it has to be a difficult task to keep the blog up to date and prepare froecasts-espesically in this ever changing pattern!!!

I would love to see some flakes falling Christmas day for two reasons: 1. It is Christmas and to be honest seeing snow on Christmas day is historically rare here-not sure why it just is. 2. This is a vent reason: The Lawrence Jouranl World ran an article Thursday saying there was absoutely no chance of snow on Christmas Day and that it was such a freakish deal to have rain in December. First of all I was thinking how can you be absolutely certain it won't snow Monday-there is a storm-the modles have had it for days and have all Fall trended back west and North-well, the 6Z today has just done that-also, what is so rare about rain in December here-our average high is still 42 degrees-we do not live in North Dakota!!! Man stuff like that makes me boil!!! Rant over!!

Who knows about snow for sure on Monday but I am pretty confident that it will feel like Christmas on Monday with dropping temps. and chilly winds out of the North-we always cook outside on Christmas no matter the weather and it is fun to cook out when it is cold on Christmas-a few flakes would be a major bonus!!!

Thanks again for all the responses on the blog and the great work you do. Finally, again, you and everyone at KSHB have a wonderful and safe Christmas!!!!!
----------------------
Bill,

Happy holidays to you and your family. Thank you for participating in the blog.

Let's hope for snow on Monday, but the last time this storm came through it somehow baffled us and we saw nothing.

Gary

**************
I was just looking at the NAM and it has a lot more precip like maybe 6-8 in across the area and the GFS has barly anything what is it 1-3 maybe?
--------------------
Charles,

1 inch would be nice for Christmas. There is a chance, but it may go by and miss us.

Gary

My wife, son and I are moving to Fort Collins within the next couple months. Thanks for sharing these photographs.

****************
I think it is so beautiful - my dream is to retire to Colorado.