Historically, snowfall totals have been very difficult to predict. In particular, small, intense swaths of snowfall within a larger area of precipitation are most challenging to forecast, and can be attributed to the presence of mesoscale snow bands. Slight temperature variations and the location and duration of these mesoscale snow bands can have a significant impact on the amount of snow a location receives. This poster presentation will examine several recent case studies of heavy snowfall (February and March 2014) in the Southeastern United States. To understand why certain locations received the heaviest snow amounts, it is necessary to consider the small-scale features that contributed to heavy snowfall rates. A few localized factors contributing to snow band maintenance will be examined and quantified to better understand the position of snow bands in each case study.
