Casebook 19 March 2003
CSU-CHILL Casebook: 19 March, 2003
Mention of a widespread snowstorm of historic proportions was included in the NWS forecasts issued on Sunday, 16 March 2003. Precipitation began as rain during the afternoon hours of Monday, 17 March and changed to snow during the overnight hours. Periods of snow were observed at the CHILL radar site throughout the following day (Tuesday, 18 March). A particularly intense storm period began around sunset on Tuesday (i.e., the early UTC hours on 19 March 2003). The NWS issued a blizzard warning that included the Greeley (CHILL radar) area late Tuesday afternoon. Several well-defined snowbands passed the CHILL site and moved westward towards the Fort Collins - Loveland area while this blizzard warning was in effect. (See the VCHILL link below.) The snowstorm generally began to lose its intensity around mid-day on Wednesday, 19 March 2003. Note: The CSU-CHILL and Pawnee radars began 360 degree PPI volume scans at 10 minute intervals between 0114 UTC on 18 March and 0440 UTC on 20 March. The CHILL radar conducted several RHI sweeps just before the start of each of the synchronized PPI volumes.
